Endless Battle
by Evocaii
Summary: A rewrite of my original story with lots more added on. Ethan Jacobs was your average screwed up mentally tortured assassin but what happens when he crosses paths with SHIELD as a shade of Natasha Romanovs past come back to haunt her
1. Chapter 1

Kiev - near Midnight

The streets were dark and quiet, few people were walking down the street and those who did where to drunk to noticed the boy sitting in the shadows. They would be hard pressed to see him anyway, his clothes where dark and the shadows seemed to encase him. The boy had been there for 4 hours, hardly moving yet constantly watching the office building opposite where he was sitting

He suddenly jerked his eyes as the lights went off. SHIELD agents apparently liked to work late though the boy didn't mind, he liked the cool air flowing through his hair and on his skin, it helped him to keep focused on the mission in hand.

The boy stood up quickly startling a group of teenagers walking near by, they hadn't spotted him in the shadows. It was the first time the boy could be seen properly, he was short in build, he couldn't have been more than 5 1/2 feet yet his muscles could be seen through his thin tee shirt as lean and toned. He had short dirty blonde hair, his fringe almost reaching his eyes which where a bright shade of green.

"Oi shouldn't you be at home with your mama" one of the drunkards slurred in Ukrainian, whilst his gang laughed looking down at the boy. The boy looked at them, of course it was the biggest and the most drunk one who yelled. They assumed that he would run off or start crying but the boy just smirked before stalking past them.

"I was talking to you" the man tried to grab at the boy before screaming. The onlookers had barely seen the boy move yet he somehow had the biggest member of the group, who had to be at least 6.2 feet, in and arm lock and looked close to breaking his arm.

"Leave...now." The boy spoke softly yet his tone was clear. A loud crack echoed around the street which caused the drunk to scream louder. Letting the leader go the gang ran off, realising it wasn't worth trying anything.

The boy turned his attention back to the office, where a man had just come out of the side entrance, clearly exhausted after what must have been a long day. The man was wearing a white lab coat and had a suit jacket slung over his arm, which almost hid the holster that was around the man's shoulder.

This will be to easy. The boy stooped down and smeared his face with mud, he then pulled out a small knife from his pocket and made a small cut on his cheek.

He ran quickly across the empty road, colliding heavily with the man. "Help, please you have to help." Tears running down his cheek now. The man looked startled to have the boy pulling at him, the boy looked to be 14 or 15 and was tugging at his arm. "My... My brother, they..." The boy said through harsh sobs. "The knife and... And so much blood."

"Stop, calm down, tell me what's wrong." The man spoke in a calming voice, clearly used to stressful times. He moved with a grace that showed he was used to combat. He had the air of a soldier.

"My brother, we live across the street, but the men, they burst in yelling, my brother grabbed one but they stabbed him, he was bleeding. I think he might be... Be." The boy buried his face in his hands

"Stay here I will go find him. Just stay here ok." The man pulled out a gun from inside his jacket whilst looking across the road. He didn't notice the boy's hand reaching into his pocket and pulling a short knife out. It was to late for the man, who was one of the best agents SHIELD had to offer but that didn't stop his throat from being cut as the boy jumped up on his back and ran the knife across it, pushing in deep and causing a gasp to escape the man as he slumped over.

The boy was already walking away before the agent had even dropped and had his phone out, sending a message

"Agent Casper down, awaiting orders."

His phoned dinged a minute later showing a picture. His life was about to become much more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Barton PoV

The bed was felt so good, all warm and comfortable, no kids running around downstairs, The first thought in the man's head was, I really hate Mondays.

Agent Clint Barton was just coming of a 2 week leave after a mission in Rome. It had mostly gone according to plan... mostly. Maybe one or two hiccups which meant he had had to shoot his way into a fortified base just to rescue Sitwell, although it would give him something to talk about at the Christmas party when he found Sitwell hanging by his feet with two old men about to start lowering him into a wood chipper. Makes up for when Sitwell and Tasha found him in Reo. Barton suddenly shuddered at the thought causing Laura to stir, pushing Barton out of bed.

"Your turn to make breakfast for the kids. Go, before I have to get out to come after you."

A few hours later, after Laura had left for work, Clint packed up his bag and drove into the office. The New York SHIELD base was one of the biggest buildings he has been in, and that included the Middle Eastern Palace he had rescued Nat from. SHEILD did like to portray an imposing image, mostly helped by a ten foot tall eagle looking across the concourse that was the entryway into the building.

His phone beeped as he walked through the door

"Mission alert, level 7, high priority, my office in 5." It was signed by Fury so Clint knew that this was gonna be a fun day, or as fun as they ever where when Fury wanted to see him.

"How was the vacation." He caught a flash of red hair out of the corner of his eye. Natasha Romanov was a hard person to miss, even if she was so sneaky half the time.

"If you can call it a vacation, I pulled half the dinning room wall out to extend it through to the living room," his tone was calm, Tasha was one of the few people at SHIELD who he felt comfortable around, everyone else was intimidated by him, "perks of being a top agent" was what Natasha called it. "Fury pull you in to, haven't even gotten to my desk yet, let alone the coffee machine."

"I grabbed you a cup" Natasha said whilst handing him the cardboard cup, "ran into Hill as well, she looked worried"

Agent Hill was one probably the second most dangerous person Clint knew after Natasha as well as being Fury's right hand lady.

"It will be fine, probably just more escaped genetically engineered Rhinos, that would be fun to do again" they both laughed as the doors opened.

"Did I miss the joke, cause I ain't laughing right now" Fury's voice echoing down the corridor. He sounded cold, then again he always sounded cold.

"What's the mission sir, I thought you would let me have at least 5 minutes before you pulled me in"

"Very funny Agent Barton but something has come up, last night Agent Casper was found dead" Clint felt dread corse through him at the news, he must have shown it because Nat looked across at him with a sad look

"Info sir? What happened?"

"We don't know, no cameras, no witnesses, not even a God dam mouse saw what happened, all we know is that his throat was cut and we don't know who did it." Clint knew that when Fury admitted that he didn't know something then this really was bad.

"Is this linked to Agent Carter and Front sir?" Both agents had been killed in the last two weeks, one was shot in the chest whilst the over was pushed in front of a train.

"And I'm officially linking it to Chang's death as well, that car crash never sat well with me, he aced his advanced motor course. I'm giving you the open book on this you two, a kill order has been issued, I want whoever did this in a week and I want a reason and names. Just remember that this operative is highly trained and dangerous."

As Clint and Natasha walked away from Fury's office Natasha turned to him and said "Well where do we start?"

"I've got some ideas, come on. We need a Quinjet, I heard Kiev is lovely this time of year.

The yellow Manor House on the most expensive street in Kiev was pristine, a fresh coat of paint. New flowers in the garden and a lovely Mercedes in the drive way. That was why Clint was surprised that he had a shotgun barrel in his face when he rang the doorbell.

"Agent Barton... Are you here to kill me" the man holding the gun said in English, though with a strong Russian accent.

Clint wasn't surprised, you didn't become the leader of the Ukrainian Mafia by being soft. Though how he recognised him he would never know "Not today, just a few questions, so get that out of my face before I have to make you move it."

The man was Nicola Valdenko, hailing from northern Russia he had to escape the country after annoying some politician and had come to Kiev to carry on his criminal mastermind. He had done quite well for himself all things considered.

"Big SHIELD agent want my help!" He let out a huge laugh, "Come, come we go through to the study." Nicola was a big man, strong arms and a big chest, if the rumours where true he had once ripped of a rivals arm and hit two bodyguards with it but Clint never put much stock in rumours. "My wife, Shiera, she is from America you know, very beautiful." He motioned to a picture on the wall.

The two men sat down across a desk. Nicola pulled out a bottle of Vodka and two glasses, pouring it out for the two of them. "So tell me, Mister Barton, what do you need to know?" Nicola was never strong with English, but the vodka defiantly didn't help.

Clint slapped a picture down on the desk. "I need to know who did this."

Clint watched as Nicola lent in to see the picture, it was Agent Casper in a morgue. To his credit the big man didn't even look away before meeting Clint's eyes. Nicola lent back in his chair, draining his glass before pouring himself another.

"He was SHIELD?" Clint nodded quickly. "Then it was not one of my men, we know better the to deal with SHIELD, fastest way into the ground I say" Nicola still talked light but Clint noticed that Nicola's smile had faded. "Please... Don't think I had anything to do with this."

"Then pleasure doing business with you, give my regards to your wife from America." Clint quickly got up and left the room, He heard Nicola breath out as he walked away.

He met Romanov across the street and they got into their car. The Ferrari was very flashy and not at all subtle but with 4 agents dead neither of them felt much like being subtle. Clint drove off the moment he felt Natasha next to him

"He had no idea, I could tell, he thought I would kill him."

"I take it you didn't?" Natasha smiled at him.

"If Nicola has no idea, this goes way above petty crime," the cold feeling had come back in his chest, he was Agent Barton now, cold and calculating. "We need to find who did this and fast, before they kill again."

He looked out of the window as he pulled up to the curb. Driving across town Clint found the alleyway where Agent Casper was killed which was just across the street. He got out and walked to where a small patch of blood covered the floor. Clint felt anger rise inside of him,

"Casper didn't deserve this! A dingy alleyway in fucking Kiev" Clint kicked out at the wall

"Clint. Look at me," He felt his eyes bore deep into Tasha's, "You knew him right? Casper?"

He felt his face being pulled downward, he couldn't let the pain show but he knew Nat saw it anyway, "Lee Casper was one of the bravest agents I've ever seen, he pulled me out of that situation in Naples, and again in Bagdad." His eyes darted down to look at the pool of blood. Clint sat back against the wall, pain etched deeply onto his face.

Looking around, as the hairs on his neck were standing up. Someone was standing at the corner, a hoodie pulled up over the face, Clint stood up and took a step towards him but the boy took a step back, looking scared.

"It's ok, we won't hurt you, we are investigating this murder." Natasha's was soothing, Clint thought that it was better for her to the talking, her Ukrainian was much better than his.

"Um... Sir" the boy's voice was quiet, he spoke in stilted English "I was here... No there... Last night, my older brother and his pighead friends, they were drunk, I was just following them, I was bored but there was someone. Young, a boy, he could not be older than, maybe 14 or 15. My brother, he taunt him and he..." The boy gives a painful sniff, "the boy break his arm, quickly" he clicks his finger "the bone fragments, they splinter, rupture vein. My brother is dead now"

"What did you do?" Natasha's eyes where serious, Clint felt as if a hand was constricting his chest, he knew that this mission was not going to end well.

"My brother, his friends, they all ran, I jumped back, I hid in bush across street, and I watch and I... I film" the boy pulled out a cheap phone.

"Can I have that?" Clint held out his hand and the boy passed the phone to him. Clint quickly copied the video to his tablet. "Thank you, you don't know how much help you've been."

Clint and Natasha quickly drove back to the Jet which was parked on the roof of an industrial building on the outskirts of Kiev.

Clint jumped inside and pulled out a keyboard, linking the tablet to the big screen.

"Let's see what you've got" Clint turned on the video and watched as a small figure ran across the street and saw Casper look frantically across the street before pulling out his gun, but then had to watch as the boy jumped on Casper's back and pulled the dagger across his throat.

Both assassins in the jet tensed, neither could pull of the move better which meant that they were dealing with someone serious. Clint's mind was racing, who was able to do that that young. He didn't like where this was leading.

Casper quickly slumped to the floor and the boy was already moving away, pulling out a communicator, his face lit up as a picture came through on the screen and Clint saw a pair of emerald green eyes flare in the darkness.

For the first time in nearly ten years of working for SHIELD, Clint felt genuinely scared of what he just saw, realising that this boy could kill so easily. He looked like a kid, he could be anyone and the fact that he was just a kid meant that this was way more dangerous than anyone could believe.

"Look at that, zoom in" Nat was pointing at the picture. The boy's phone screen filled the big screen and as the image was enhanced Clint yelled "Oh my god, call Fury now, get him to lock down the base, check everywhere for that boy. We will be back in an hour."

The picture of SHIELD New York headquarters lit up both their faces.


	3. Chapter 3

"Florence Jackens" the boy felt a tug of laughter, what man was called Florence nowadays. Then again his name had been Ethan, the name from when he was just that broken little child, before he learnt the ways of the world. He grimaced at the memory of his early training.

"NO!" He hadn't realised he had yelled out but he had to clear his head, he couldn't afford to have a breakdown. Not here, an unfortunate side effect of his upbringing but something he could deal with. He parked the SUV on a side road.

He pulled out the SHIELD ID that he had taken of the office worker from the bar, he now worked in HR, or at least his father did. He shook his head, he wouldn't not be broken, he heard the old lady in the back of his mind,

"A good agent is marble to every other breakable person, but you are stronger than that, you are steel." He shrugged of the thought, pulling his bag around his shoulder and getting out of the car and crossing the road.

He liked New York, all the noise, the hustle and bustle. Everyone had somewhere to be and he could be invisible among them.

He pulled a wallet out of a passerby's pocket, dropping it after he pulled out $10. He stopped at a stall and bought a newspaper and a bag of mints.

He walked down a long concourse until he reached the front door of SHIELD, pushing it open to reveal a large lobby with big metal barriers. SHIELD does love its display, Workers would put the card flat down against a scanner and the barrier would let you through. The metal looked as if it would cut you in half if you got caught in it.

He pushed through the mass of workers and put the card on the scanner but it didn't let him through. Someone put a massive hand on his shoulder.

"Um sir, you card won't work, it doesn't recognise you. Would you step this way please sir." A burley security guard was pulling him to a security desk.

"Why do you have this card, think it's funny to steal this and waltz in?" The guard has his arms crossed with a sour look on his face. Clearly he thought that the boy was just some punk from the street.

"No, I'm so sorry sir, you see that's not my card, it's my fathers you see and he said to use it to go inside and it would be ok and you see-" his stammering was quite convincing, he had to admit that even to himself, just the faintest touch of better than you in his voice worked enough to put the guard on the back foot.

The guard's face softened "Yes well, you will just have to wait. I need conformation before I can let you in."

"But sir, my dad he is taking my sister to school and you see that I have the day off, it's a study day, you know like with exam-" He stopped when the guard raised an eyebrow, "anyway, my dad said he didn't trust me to study at home so I had to go to work with him, and that I could study there, he said to have a coffee and paper on his desk. I... I don't want to dis-" the guard put up a hand

"What's in the bag" the boy opened it to show that there was only a laptop and a newspaper inside.

"Ok kiddo. Just this once I'll let you through, but make sure you dad comes to see me." The boy laughed inwardly, it would be pretty hard for Mr Florence to come in today as he was currently in his toilet throwing up the drug that he had put in his drink last night

"I remember when I had a boy your age, never could get him to study but it never did him any good to sit around." The guard waved a card over the closest barrier and entered a special override code. The doors opened and the boy stepped through

"Thank you so much sir, I.. really thanks a lot."

You just killed your director

He got into an elevator, pulling out his phone and writing a nonsense text in the corner, getting out on the HR floor, he walked to the nearest stairwell going onto the landing.

Looking up and down he smiled to himself. The building was huge, no one ever used the stairs.

He began to run, moving much faster than a normal 15 year old as he sped up the stairs. Each floor became a grey blur. Why didn't they paint any of landings an interesting colour, like green, or hot pink! That would have made this so much more interesting. "Stop it" he said quietly, he had to concentrate now.

Once he reached the 38th floor he waited by the door, pulling out a little card reader he swiped the card through. A display came up with different boxes for the information on the card

He had already cracked the security on the card the day before so the next step was easy, he simply replace the level 2 clearance that his 'dad' had had and entered a number 10, a level of clearance that was reserved only for the director.

The door accepted his card without any question. This floor contained only the director's office and his secretary's along with Agent Hill's office and her team. The only person who would be in this early though was the director himself.

His intel couldn't decide if Fury slept in his office because he never seemed to leave it to go home. He pulled out small caliber gun from his backpack. It had been hidden inside his laptop which had been hollowed out if you opened it and was lined with a special coating to conceal what was inside.

He walked along the corridor silently, the gun held out in front of him. Fury's office was at the end of the corridor and he felt his pulse quicken as he neared his kill.

Once he reached the door, he quickly pulled it open and stepped inside. Fury had his back to his desk looking out over the city through a huge glass window that ran the length of the room.

"You know, it's almost sad to see you here." The boy jumped as Fury spoke. He saw on the wall security camera footage, Fury had watched him coming.

"How did you know I was coming" his voice sounded hoarse, he hadn't spoken in several days. He heard his slight accent, though it would have been difficult for someone else to hear, his American was excellent.

"It turns out that my Agents are a lot better than you think, especially when you've killed their friends." Fury turned to face him, "why kid, why do it, why these 4 Agents and why you."

The boy smirked, "does it matter, you'll soon be dead and then it would have been a waste of time to chat"

"Who are you?" Fury said with anger coursing through his voice. He squinted at him with his one good eye. "What's your name?"

"I don't have one" The boy pulled the safety off the gun.

"Who sent you on this mission, what do they want?" Fury glared at him, speaking slowly.

"They never told me" the boy said under his breath as he shot Nick Fury in the chest.


	4. Chapter 4

Clint PoV

Fury threw of the headset, they watched through the cameras as the boy looked around confused, the hologram project had worked well, but they hadn't got any information.

"Barton get out there, Romanov, you're on the stairs right? Well get up here now. Barton, you are to detain the operative at all costs, you hear me?"

Clint nodded and ran out of Hill's office. His arm shot out as the boy came running round the corner but the boy hooked a fist around Barton's arm, pulling it behind Clint's back. Clint stamped on the boy's toe, hearing the bone break as the boy cried out. His arm felt close to snapping but he managed to push the boy off.

The boy jumped at him again and pushed him to the ground where he straddled his chest. The boy punched him right in the face, causing a cut above his eye. Clint felt his head start to spin, he hadn't been hit that hard since Manilla, and that had been a wrecking ball. Fuck me he's fast. Was all Clint had time to think.

He hit back, pummelling the boy in the kidneys which caused him to roll off of his chest but Clint soon felt pressure around his neck as he felt the boy's legs lock around his throat, cutting of his air.

Any moment now Natasha. Seconds later the stairs door was ripped open. Black was tinting the corners of his vision now as the boy squeezed his throat closed with powerful muscles taut across his legs, but he felt his eyes flick up into the bright green eyes, which had just seen Nat running into the corridor.

Clint was not ready for what he saw run through those eyes. Fear was the first word that Clint thought but then he realised that that wasn't enough, it was more than fear it was terror, something so powerful that it was almost psychotic.

He immediately felt the pressure on his wind pipe release as the boy froze. Clint took the opportunity fast, twisting with lighting speed he knocked the boy's head against the wall. Hard, making him slump to the floor.

Clint stood up, massaging his neck, taking deep breaths. That kid had been strong, like freaky strong, and with skills that would make Nat proud.

Thinking of Nat, he looked across the corridor and saw her. Nat had slumped back against the wall and curled up. Clint has never seen her like this before. He felt pain and fear radiate off of her. This was not Agent Romanov before him, this was a scared girl, Clint had never seen her quite like this. The closest had been after she was first broken when he saved her and even then she had retained some of her signature coldness.

With a start Clint realised that tears were streaking down the her face. Nat never cried. Her eyes looked up at him and Clint saw shame in them

"Tasha... Nat, what's going on?" She looked up but only shook her head.

"Get him down to lockup, now!" Fury's voice echoed down the corridor, "find out everything you can."

Clint picked up the boy and slung him over his shoulder, he weighed nothing.

The boy was strapped down to a gurney in a concrete cell in the basement of shield HQ. A doctor was stitching his head, which had cracked open against the wall. Clint and Natasha watched through a one way mirror as the doctor worked.

Natasha finally turned to Clint after nearly an hour of silence.

"You know my history Clint, you know the bad I've done. The hospital fire, Sao Paulo, what I did to my father. You know that I can never get rid of the red in my ledger, but him, that boy in there. He will be why my ledger is dripping blood... Forever." The tears started again.

"Tasha" Clint spoke quietly into her ear, "it's ok, just tell me, you promised that you had told me everything, we both know that's the only way you can make it better in the end, what can be that bad that even you can't admit to it." Clint was scared for her, was scared of what she was about to reveal.

She turned on him, tears in her eyes. "God. I must have been only 14, maybe 15, about 4 years before you found me. I was still there, at the Red Room, everyday would be some kind of new test but I could tell that that day would be different. There was a man at a cell door, he told me to go inside. He said that phase 1 was beginning."

Clint watched the tears grow thicker as she recounts her tale.

"Inside was a boy, he must have been 4 years old. Then the order came through, they told me to make the boy tell them what they want. I..." Her voice catches and then breaks, "I can barely think of what i did to him, I tortured him for over 6 hours, I would scream at him, tell them what they want, Just tell them what they want, but those green eyes would always scream back, he didn't know, didn't know anything, but they knew that. It was a test for me, to see if I would do anything asked, and I did exactly what they wanted. I pushed that tiny child to madness." Her sobbing became uncontrolled now.

Clint pushed forward, wrapping an arm around her, "it's not your fault Nat, you were brainwashed, we agreed, nothing you did was your fault." He waited a long moment, "I've got to go talk to him, I'll get Fury down here, you need to tell him everything, Nat he needs to know why this boy is what he is. Just stay here ok."

Clint was walking out the door when Nat caught his arm. "Clint his name is Ethan." After she said it she let go and went back to looking through the window. Clint walked out the door and round the corner to the cell. He opened the concrete door and stepped inside.

The boy woke up quickly, his emerald eyes scanning the room quickly. He was in a cell. Agent Barton was standing in the corner. He was able to sit up on his bed, he was surprised that he wasn't strapped down. His head throbbed painfully, though when he felt the cut, it had been stitched closed.

The room was small, a metal toilet sat lonely in the corner and the one way mirror started down imposingly from one wall.

"Where am I?" The boy's voice sounded cracked and raw, He sounded thirsty and tired but Barton wouldn't let up yet.

"In a cell, where else" Barton stated plainly, still starring at him.

Clint watched the boy try to read the his face but it was blank. He hoped none of the pity he felt for the boy right now showed through. Hearing Nat's story had been one of the hardest things he had ever done and he had faced down hundreds of men with guns. Standing opposite the small boy, facing the prospect of having to do it again didn't bring much joy.

"How old are you?" Barton's voice was quiet and controlled. He readied himself incase the boy thought that he could fight his way out. The kid stayed passive on the bed, not moving but not dropping eye contact from Clint. After twenty seconds Clint dropped his stare and reached for a metal chair next to him and dropped onto it. He felt conflicted inside, four agents were dead. One had been his good friend and the person who killed them was opposite him.

But he was so small. The boy could only be five foot four and weighed less than the tension on his biggest bow. Clint knew his history but the kid had been tortured and forced into training, how could he hold his actions against him?

"How's your head? It must hurt." Clint said trying to sound calm, even kind. He needed the kid to open up if he was going to help him, to even find out if he could be helped. He was still sitting on the bed passively though. "Come on kid, work with me here." This is going nowhere.

"I'm no traitor." The boy whispered. Clint did a double take, he hadn't expected the kid to talk.

Clint leaned forward. "So what are you then Ethan." He saw Ethan tense. The boy was on edge.

"That's not my name." He said aggressively. Clint was tense now, ready for a fight. "I don't have a name. A name is for people. I'm not a person."

"You really believe that don't you. Listen I met someone a long time ago. She was just like you but I helped her. She is one of the best people I know now. Let me do the same for you."

"She's a monster. She hurt me and she enjoyed it. " Ethan said in a quiet voice, pain coursing through it. A few seconds later he said "I'm no traitor." Clint felt crushed inside, Ethan had Ben turned to pure malice and pain.

"Fine, you're no traitor but you haven't killed me yet. Why not? I'm Clint Barton, SHIELD's second top agent. Why am I not at the top of some kill list? We're alone in here, you could probably do it before anyone came running." A plan was formulating in Clint's mind. It was risky and stupid and would end up with either his death or his best friend hating him forever.

"You weren't the target. I don't want to kill you." Ethan said simply. Maybe there was some hope here

Clint stood up and opened the door before backing away from it. "Good, then go. Finish your mission." The kid looked shocked but quickly recovered, springing from the bed and running into the corridor. Clint stood motionless until Ethan had left but then followed him into the corridor.

His plan had worked, at least the first step. Ethan was standing in the corridor. Clint could see him quivering, shaking like a leaf in a storm with his eyes darting around frantically. Five meters down the corridor Nat stood motionless. Clint saw fear on her eyes, fear and pain.

Years ago, when Barton had first recruited Nat they had sat down in a bar in Russia and talked. Nat had told him everything, or at least almost everything that she had done. Clint hadn't seen the pain in her eyes since then. The pain of her past was coming back again.

"Ethan. I'm... Im so sorry. I though you were dead. After I left I looked for you but I couldn't find you. But you were never gone. Your face, that little four year old boy haunts me everytime I sleep. What I did. I'm so sorry." Tears rolled down her cheeks, filled with grief and pain.

Ethan still stood motionless, except now his eyes were focused on Nat.

"What are you doing here." Ethan said. He sounded confused which took Clint by surprise. He expected anger or fear. It sounded wrong. It sounded like he was insane but Clint couldn't let himself believe that. He wasn't going to give up that easily.

"I got out." Nat said simply.

Ethan sprang forward gripping her by the collar. Clint moved forward but stopped when Nat held up her hand. "That's not true. You can't get out. She said you were the best. A killer that I could never be. She said I was soft. You hurt me and it made you her closest weapon. That's what she said, that you were the most loyal but how can you be her if you're hers. She would kill you for leaving" Ethan yelled, but he still sounding confused and scared. Like his whole world was crashing and burning around him.

"She can't hurt you anymore Ethan. Your safe now." Clint watched the boy get agitated. He could see him tense, his hands turning white as he held Nat harder and Clint felt behind him for a weapon stashed in his back pocket. Pulling it out he primed the small device that fit in his hand.

"You're lying. She would kill me for even talking to you. You're lying." Ethan launched his hands up, closing around Nat's throat but Clint moved with lightning speed and raised the tiny dart gun in his hand which he fired. It hit Ethan in the neck and he dropped to the ground instantly.


	5. Chapter 5

Barton

Clint was standing back in the corridor. Nick, Maria and Nat around him.

"He is no different that Nat, she was brainwashed by the same people, he can't be held account-" Clint was speaking quickly, his tone harsh. He didn't feel like joking around today.

"What would you have me do Agent? He is a threat, he killed four agents and hasn't proved that he won't do it again."

"Give me some time, I saw it in him, the world messed him up but Ethan... There's something below the programming. I just need to get through to him. He could help us, he's fifteen, that's only a year younger than some people who enter the academy and he already exceeds that training." Clint tried not to let a desperate tone enter his voice. He felt as if he had to save the boy sitting in that cell. He had felt the same after talking to Nat for the first time.

"The academy lasts two years minimum, after that a few months of office work, no agent is running around at 15!" The glare that Fury gave him was overpowering but Clint wasn't about to back down.

"So what, we give up on him. I can't let that happen, Nat would never forgive herself, we have to make it better between them and the only way to do that is to bring him over to our side, he can't integrate back into society, it's not an option for him. that boy would barely manage to survive around other boys, let alone the fact that the Red Room would catch back up with him and take him back" Clint was yelling now.

"He's a special case, we all were special cases. I was, Nat was, fucking hell even Coulson was a god dam special case and look how we turned out." He could see Nat smile out of the corner of his eye.

"Fine Barton" Fury snarled at him, "have your little project, but it's all on you now." And with that he stalked away, Hill following close behind.

Ethan PoV

Ethan woke up back in his cell. He wasn't alone again but this time neither was Clint. Nat sat on the end of his bed watching him. "You shot me." He said passively.

"It was only a tranquilliser don't be dramatic." Clint said from the corner. Ethan saw out of the corner of his eye that Clint wasn't watching him but the woman who claimed to be from the Red Room. No she was from the Red Room. Looking at her again Ethan saw the similarities between her and the girl twelve years ago. They were the same person. But if that was true, how had she escape. Was it possible. He had fantasied about it so much, letting it simmer beneath the surface of the cold training he had been given. The one thought that let him keep some sanity, escape. But now that possibility was here he felt afraid, unsure what to do.

She had always called him weak, she had sensed his desire to leave the whole time and she made him regret it.

Ethan turned to Barton, "can you give us a minute? Please." Barton nodded and left. Ethan turned back to Romanov, "what should I call you?" His voice was quiet, but the fear still obvious.

"Nat, or Tasha. My full name is Natasha Romanov" Her eyes where puffy and wet when Ethan looked into them.

"How did you escape, how did you get away from them, from her?" Ethan's eyes were open wide, there was no hiding his emotions now.

"Barton got me out, he was sent to hunt me down, he made a different call and here we are" Nat turned her head to look at the wall which bordered the corridor where Clint would be standing.

"And you, him. You are good. You try and help people. How are you different than before?" To a normal person Ethan would have made no sense but Ethan saw that she understood what he meant. In the Red Room you are taught that there is no bad or good in the world, only what people do to survive.

"She was wrong about the world you know. When she said that no one helps others. People do, everyday. Sometimes it's just little things like a compliment or a helping hand. Barton showed me that and now I do good, or at least do the bad things that will help people in the long run." Ethan flinched at the thought of the Mistress of the red room. She was not someone he wanted to think about.

Ethan felt conflicted inside. Years of training had hammered into him that everyone was selfish or evil. That killing people was just another action, like flicking on a lightbulb. But here was the contradiction. Nat was sitting opposite him and was trying to help him. Clint had done the same.

"Did he help you?" Nat nodded, "can he help me?" She nodded again. "I've seen you at the weakest you've ever let anyone see haven't I?" She nodded for a third time, "I'm really sorry for what you went through"

Ethan realised he meant it. He couldn't ever remember saying that word before, sorry, it was new to him but he knew it's what he felt now. He felt pity for the woman infront of him.

She laughed at that, he was taken aback. "you are so like Clint, after what I did to you, you have to go and say sorry to me, Clint will be happy to see that in you." Ethan merely smiled before getting up and walking out the door

Ethan walked out into the corridor, Clint was leaning against the wall.

"I heard you yelling outside my cell earlier." Clint didn't say anything, just locked eyes with Ethan. "I can't go back to how things were?" Clint shook his head, "Maybe you're right, that I can get away from the Mistress. All that matters is that I've had enough. Enough running around and being a puppet. Nat said you help people. I have strength and speed. Maybe I can help people too. She promised that you can help."

"I can do better than last time, do better than with Nat." Clint had a light voice now, like he just cracked a joke. Ethan raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Because I've got a wife this time who makes the best treacle tart."

Ethan let a small smile slip across his face.

Ethan waited outside the door to his cell whilst Clint went into it to talk to Nat, I didn't take long for her to come out and when she saw him she smiled brightly.

He followed the two agents to the elevator where they rode to the 37th floor. Ethan didn't realise that is was late but it was pitch black outside the windows. They walked along a corridor until they reached an office. The name on the door said Phil Coulson, but someone had tacked on a piece of paper underneath that said Super Dad.

Clint opened the door and stepped inside and motioned for Ethan to follow him. A man turned to face him who looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. He held out a hand for Ethan to shake which Ethan took.

"It's good to finally meet you, I read your file and I know what Clint is like so I suppose the only surprise is that it took him 6 hours to get you out of that cell." Coulson smiled, he had a warm happy face, Ethan felt like he could trust this man even if he couldn't trust anyone else.

"He was unconscious for 5 of those hours so that doesn't really count, anyway though, Ethan this is Phil Coulson, he is mine and Nat's hander and all round super nanny-"

"Call me super nanny again and I will have to taser you Barton. Again I might add." Clint looked afraid which is saying something. Phil only smiled, Ethan realised that Coulson shouldn't be messed around. How did they act so casual. Where was the orders?

"Hurry up boys, I'm hungry and we all are tired after this day I think." Nat was yelling down the corridor as she walked away towards the elevator.

"Can I just get something?" Ethan looked around the office quickly to scan for it.

"It's probably in that box on Barton's desk in the next room, though I will warn you, Barton boobytrapped his desk after the someone put a water bomb in it." Coulson smiled as he got lost in the memory whilst Ethan found the box and narrowly avoided the dart that shot out from a drawer on the desk. He pulled out a short knife that looked as if it was thirty years old, an old Russian commando knife.

"Laura doesn't let you have any weapons at the dinner table, we put most of them in the hatstand. Is that a Spetnaz knife?" Clint looked at it closer now, in awe of the ancient knife would have been out of production for 20 years at least.

"Yes, it's the only thing I've got left of my old life, it was my father's, I pulled it out of his hand after he died." Ethan felt happier with it back in his hand, though he still had the flash of his fathers dead eyes looking at him. Clint stood quietly for a second before he left the office. Ethan tried to follow but Coulson grabbed his arm.

"This is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done. This transition to our life but once it's done you might actually be happy." Ethan was shocked. It was brute force kindness, of the kind he had never heard before. Not since he was four. How was he meant to react?What should he say?

Ethan stowed the knife in his jacket but didn't say anything as they walked out the room, Clint fired off a text saying he was coming home and was bringing strays with him.

As they reached the garage Clint walked over to his car, a sleek Lamborghini that was painted bright orange with red flames on it. Ethan smirked when he saw it, he was starting to get an idea of what Barton was like. "See, that wasn't so hard. That's almost a full smile if you add up all the different movements your lips have made." Barton said laughing slightly. Nat and Coulson where taking their own cars but would meet him at home, though Phil was stoping off to get something first.

Once they were on the road, with the lights of New York flashing by, Ethan felt like he had to get it off his chest, guilt was wracking through him.

"Clint, I wanna say I'm sorry. I want to know their names." Ethan felt as if fire was lapping beneath him. His voice still came out quite and timid.

Clint swerved the car onto the pavement and stopped, turning to look at Ethan, an angry look in his eyes. Ethan felt a stab of fear through him. He hadn't expected this, a sudden outburst.

"This is how me and Nat started. In a dank stingy bar in Russia I got her to realise that It was not her fault. Everything she did was under evil mind control. It never will be and never was your fault and I won't move this car until you accept that, ok. Look at me," Ethan looked up, meeting Clint's steely look. "What they did to you, what they put you through, I can hardly believe it, I don't want to believe it, but that makes it their fault, not yours. Soon we start training, we are going to fight back against these people and we are going to win ok." Ethan nodded and Clint started the car again. Ethan felt relieved by what Clint said, but still felt a stab of guilt through him at the memory of their corpses.

"I need to know one thing though, Clint. I need to know about you and Nat, why are you helping me, I killed your friends. I've killed more people than you'd believe."

Clint smiled, "you will always have me and Nat and Coulson, we will always be there for you. I saw something in you, Nat and Coulson saw it to, it's clear across your face that on the inside you are a good person Ethan, and I won't ever stop believing in that."

"You're too trusting a person Clint" Ethan said watching the lights of headlamps flash past.

"I'd rather be to trusting and surrounded by friends than suspicious and alone." He said with a slight grin creeping back across his face.

"What about Fury though?" Ethan felt as if he had to know what Fury is really like, because he doesn't want to trade one evil organisation for another.

"I trust Fury to do what he thinks is best. I don't trust him however." Ethan knew that Clint was telling the truth, he turned to look back out at the lights speeding past

"Ok, that's good enough for me."

The rest of the drive passed in silence until they reached Barton's house, he had a terraced house with a little garden in the front and back. Ethan realised that what he thought was the next house along didn't have an entrance which meant that the inside must be huge.

Clint let himself in, Phil and Nat had already arrived but the first person Ethan saw was a young lady with a lovely face, she looked beautiful but motherly with the kindest face Ethan had ever seen.

"Ethan this is my lovely wife Laura, Laura this is Ethan, she works as a doctor at the local hospital near here"

"Gosh Clint could you bring in any more strays, this one looks ready to drop. Come on through dinner is on the table and getting cold. It's lovely to meet you Ethan" Laura smiled and then quickly turned and walked back through to the dinning room.

Ethan took his place along the side of the table. Opposite a young girl who had to be Clint's daughter, their eyes were exactly the same. Clint hadn't lied at least. The meatballs where the best.

Clint grabbed a beer from the fridge before sitting down. Immediately he was regaled with the latest news about the swimming club that Cooper, who Ethan learned was Clint's eldest son, was at, and the dance club Lilia went to, how the Disney movies would be better if they had Kung fu, like that movie Aunt Nat had shown them that mummy wasn't supposed to know about.

Ethan let his mind wander, it felt so alien to him to hear this idle chatter. If this is what family life is, I wonder how Clint survives? Then maybe that was what Nat has meant about there being good people in the world, this is what is was like to have a loving family around you.

He felt for the old knife in his pocket, it made him feel better to hold it just flick it out like he remembered his dad doing. Flick out, Flick in. Flick out , Fli- "Mum, Ethan's got a weapon at the table."

He eyes shot open, Clint and Nat were sniggering.

"That's a dollar in the jar. We have to keep strict rules around here or Clint will pull out a grenade at the table again" Laura turns around and grabs a jar that was filled to the brim with ones. "We combine our swear jar and weapon jar into one, still hasn't worked though with the bad mouth on those two" Laura pointed at Clint and Nat "even when they are speaking in Russian."

"I'm really sorry Mrs Barton." Ethan felt panicky, he was being confront but in the least threatening way possible. He froze because he just had no idea what to do. Clint frowned at Laura, he had forgotten to tell her about Ethan's past.

"Well I guess you will just have to take those two up to bed then, that's torture enough" Ethan flinched at her wording but no one noticed over the groans of the Barton siblings. "I let them stay up, to see daddy and this is what happens, moaning and groaning, off to bed both of you. And Ethan you look ready to drop as well, two doors down from Lilia's is the guest room, you're sleeping in there ok"

Clint's PoV

Ethan had just been dragged upstairs quite forcibly by Lilia who had taken a liking to him it seemed. He heard distant shouting and running water as his two children got ready for bed.

Whilst Ethan was gone Clint gave Laura the condensed backstory to Ethan, he left out the connection to Nat but still, by the end of the story Laura looked stricken. "He's only 15 you say, he's had a worse life than most people ever have. I shouldn't have told him off about that knife, This must be so hard for him, coming into the real world like this from what his life was like. I'm going to go check on him." With that Laura quickly rushed out of the room

The three agents sat in silence downstairs for a long time

"Clint, what are we going to do with him, after tonight." Natasha looked concerned.

"We are going to train with him, and then it's up to him."


	6. Chapter 6

Ethan woke up early the next day, the sun had barely risen and he couldn't hear a sound in the house, Nat and Phil had gone home, but they barely lived ten minutes away so that didn't matter much.

Breathing deeply he got up and silently went downstairs. Lacing up his trainers he opened the front door before realising that Clint would freak if he was missing, so he scribbled a note out and then left.

Ethan loved the feeling running gave him, everything breezing past. He could let all his distractions go as he sped up. People were turning to watch as he ran by. He was running faster than most sprinters and yet he had already been running for 45 minutes.

After an hour he arrived back at Clint's house and knocked on the door. It was quickly opened by Lilia who pulled at him. Apparently she had wanted to watch cartoons with him but it was to late now.

They walked through to the dinning room where Clint and Laura were talking. After he entered they both stopped their conversation and turned to him.

"How was your run?" Laura's voice was friendly but Ethan realised that he had interrupted something. "Sit down, Clint made waffles. You two've got a big day ahead of you."

"It felt good, thanks" Laura looked sadly at him, Ethan was worried that he had offended her, he wasn't used to thanking people so he quickly moved on. "What were we doing today, are we stating training?"

Laura flashed an evil grin. "Ha, no today you get the day off, both of you are gonna spend the day with me and Nat, which means both of you are coming shopping!"

Clint groaned but Ethan felt a spark of excitement in him, his first day in normal society.

Shopping actually turned out quite well. Once Nat realised that Ethan didn't have anything but the clothes on his back, she managed to buy an entire wardrobe for him. He got hoodies, jeans, t-shirts and trousers, as well as some formal shirts and even a tie.

"I could get into anywhere with these clothes, I could look so different just by changing shirts." Ethan was rifling through the pile on the counter.

"Did you pick anything out?" Clint's eyes were questioning.

"I didn't see anything else that would be useful. Most of the clothes don't have pockets or are to thin or-" Clint cut him off by raising his hand

"Did you not see anything that you liked?" Ethan looked confused at Clint

"What do you mean? Just buying something for no reason?" He had a really puzzled face on, like what Clint was saying was an alien language

Clint just sighed, "basically, yeah. Most people if they see something they like, that's what influences them to buy it."

"What that's just dumb. If somethings not useful or efficient why don't people get rid of it." Clint looked at him. Ethan felt as if he had said something wrong, this commercial world was difficult to break into. "I'm sorry if I-"

Ethan was surprised when it was Laura who spoke, "You should never feel bad about learning what the real world is like Ethan, it won't help you if you constantly feel bad. I think it's great that you get to see what life would be like if you hadn't grown up like you did." Laura gave him another warm smile, before pulling out her phone. "Oh shoot, I've gotta run Clint, they need me at the hospital, look after him. And don't buy any more guns, we've got enough already" She kissed Clint on the cheek before running off, though Clint just scowled at her,

"Someone can never have to many guns"

Nat, Ethan and Clint walked around the shopping mall for another hour, Ethan looking into shop windows and marvelled at some of the most mundane things.

"How can a shop only sell shoes, does it even stay in business?" Clint just smiled at Ethan, he wasn't looking forward to explaining girls to him

After the long walk around the shops, the trio went to find coffee and a place where they could talk quietly.

"We need to find out some things about you now Ethan, like the Red Room, or the work you did." Ethan almost smiled at Barton. Ethan braced himself, he was ready for it knowing it had to be coming.

"My full name is Ethan Jacobs. The Red Room took me when I was four. They killed my dad and then they had me tortured. What they did to me, it made my mind stronger in different ways. It made me a lot smarter, I wouldn't called myself the cleverest person but I pick things up quite quickly." Clint had the feeling that the boy was being modest about himself.

"When I lived back in the Red Room, my bunk had a small cot and a mat in it, all the bathrooms where shared and my closest one was down the hall. I didn't share it with anyone though, I was alone in my corridor. At least towards the end. It was better to keep an eye on him, though it was good that the boy was opening up about his previous life a bit now.

"What else can you tell us?" Nat said quietly.

"You know what the training was like. The work, the PT... the Arenas." Ethan said stuttering slightly.

"They pit you against girls?" Nat asked but Ethan just dropped eye contact with her. He obviously didn't want to relive that yet though he might tell them one day.

The day passed by quickly after that. After getting home Ethan had sat down in the living room only to be assaulted by Cooper who was wearing his combat fatigues and then jumped on by Lilia who insisted that he helped her with her maths homework. He would be fine, it turns out that early school maths is quite easy.

Clint helped Laura make dinner, and set the table for the whole family. Phil and Nat weren't coming over that night.

After what felt like a long day for he finally flopped into bed.

He was walking down the corridor. He remembered this place, the training centre... His training centre. She stood at the end of the corridor. With her smile that did nothing to conceal the evil that was clearly deep inside.

She stood and motioned for Ethan to come to her but Ethan shook his head. He wouldn't go, wouldn't go back to her. He had escaped and left, suddenly he was grabbed from behind

Ethan flung himself up in bed, he was covered in a cold sweat, a hand was holding his shoulder. He grabbed hold of it, swinging around, ready to break the attackers arm. But he quickly tensed as he realised that It was Clint who was holding him.

Ethan quickly let go and scrambled backwards. Clint looked with concerned eyes. "Do you want to talk about it? Your nightmare, I found you tossing and turning, covered in cold sweat."

Ethan shook his head, "it was just a bad dream, I'm fine." He looked up at Clint, half expecting him to run away but Clint just turned around and walked out the door, calling behind him

"Better hurry downstairs, breakfast is ready and training begins today."

It felt very different for Ethan, walking into SHIELD HQ for the second time, walking forward with Clint and passing through the barriers using his temporary ID. Everyone around him shot him strange looks, but Ethan saw some glares as well. Not everyone knew who he was but the news would trickle out fast, and then he was going to be a hated man in the building.

Walking to the lift, they climbed quickly to a mid level floor in SHIELD. The elevator opened into a gym that was full of huge men and women, most of them at least twice Ethan's size and Ethan noticed that several were lifting weights heavier than him. He realised that this is where the STRIKE teams that where based in New York liked to hang out.

Ethan remembered learning about STRIKE. It had been a part of his training, to learn the strengths and weaknesses of his enemy.

They looked at him as he stepped out of the lift. At least in here Ethan knew that he wasn't welcome. There must have been four STRIKE teams in the room and all of them knew what he was, at least that was what the glares indicated.

He quickly followed Clint as he crossed the room to a firing range that filled the back quarter of the floor.

"We need to start by seeing what you can do, I know your training must have been extensive but I've got to know if there are any gaps in it that I have to plug." Clint walked to a storage locker that was open against a wall, he reached in an pulled out a huge Glock 23 pistol. He threw it to Ethan who caught it nimbly.

Ethan checked the magazine and was surprised to see it loaded with live rounds. Clint obviously had put some trust into him, to let him run around with a loaded gun. He walked over to the firing range.

"You've got six shots, we can total your score at the end. 10 for a headshot 5 for a body and 1 for any other part of the target, you can start when you were ready."

Ethan had already started firing before Clint had finished talking, causing everyone nearby to jump, including Clint. Ethan had shot all 6 bullets in rapid succession, leaving no time to readjust or even to breath out.

Once the smoke had cleared, Clint pressed a button on a console which brought the target closer. Ethan was pleased with the reaction he got out of Clint, the agent hadn't hidden the look of surprise on his face at all. Ethan had scored a perfect 60 points, the bullet holes where close enough together that it was debatable if he had fired more than one or two shots, as the rest had just passed through the hole that had already been made.

Clint just laughed an turned away, "ha, Nat won't be pleased when she hears how you beat her shooting record when she first tried that, come on we've still got plenty of other tests to run."

The rest of Clint's test pasted in much the same manner, with Ethan scoring maximum marks in each case. Ethan ran the obstacle course in record time, managed to score full marks on a theory paper set on gun mechanics and weapons handling and even fared quite well when he two of them did some one on one sparing. Though Clint really started enjoying himself when Ethan first met STRIKE team Alpha.

Ethan and Clint had gone over to the gym section of the training floor to complete some basic strength exercises, Ethan was much stronger then he appeared to be, lifting almost 100kg which couldn't be far off of double his total weight. Ethan felt a bit uneasy as a group of STRIKE team members had peeled of from their normal exercises to watch his progress.

Ethan didn't realise but there was a extreme competitive streak in these burly men and women and so when he started on the chin up bar, 4 others decided to join him. All of them where from strike team alpha, Ethan could see an alpha symbol on their workout shirts, and they all had 150lbs on him.

Ethan was surprised when he heard Barton callout to them, "this isn't going to end well for you Rumlow, even if you don't have any testosterone left in your body anyway." The only answer the biggest man gave, who Ethan realised must have been Rumlow, the leader of alpha team, was to take one hand off and start doing 1 arm chin ups.

Ethan wasn't about to let the challenge go unmet so he took one hand off the bar. After about 40 chin-ups, the other three members of Rumlow's team had all given up but Ethan barely felt any exhaustion in him. At around sixty, Ethan started to feel as if his arm was becoming strained, how the hell was Rumlow still going?

75... 76... 77... 78...

Ethan could keep going for much longer, though his fingers where now starting to go numb from gripping the bar so tightly. He looked across as Rumlow, who now has a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. Ethan looked around to see the whole floor had gone quiet to watch the battle that was going on.

95... 96... 97...

All of a sudden Rumlow fell of the bar and collapsed on the floor. Ethan smiled as he dropped down, looking around and the group of people who all had shocked looks on their faces, all except for Barton who was just sniggering.

"He's barely out of breath..."

"Rumlow just ran out of energy, how's that even happen..."

"Is this kid even real..."

Ethan just walked over to where Rumlow was slumped now, massaging his arm and breathing deeply. Ethan held out a hand and Rumlow reached up to grab it, pulling himself up on Ethan.

"Well kid" Rumlow's voice was hoarse from exhaustion, "You want to do some good?"

Ethan didn't breath, he knew that if Rumlow didn't accept him, than none of the strike team would and he would be an outcast for-

"Welcome to SHIELD" Rumlow interrupted Ethan's thoughts and caused a wave of relief and happiness to wash over Ethan as everyone around him started applauding and cheering.


	7. Chapter 7

Over the next week, Ethan's training progressed well. Clint was training him in the finer arts of hand to hand combat. He was progressing well on the knife combat and throwing, even though he had extensive training before SHIELD and Clint was also showing him how to be, in his words, "a sneaky little ninja."

This mainly involved Ethan trying to sneak up on Clint who was standing in the middle of a darkened room. Ethan quickly found out the Clint had some superhuman senses, being able to hear the faintest scuffle of his shoes or the quietest breath. Ethan was learning fast though, getting closer to Clint every time, until one try he was able to drop on Clint from above without Clint even noticing him moving.

He was also getting to know some members of the STIRKE teams as well, doing training sessions with them as well, mainly because Clint seems to think that they made good punching bags for sparring sessions as none of their hand to hand combat skills were a match for his. The news had gone around that Ethan was working for the good guys now, and people thought that that was good enough after seeing the dedication that Ethan was putting in.

His favourite sessions had to be the staff training though. As Clint put it, "where ever we go there will always be a drain pipe or a lead tube or something of the sort which could be used as a weapon so it would be useful to know how to fight with them." Ethan especially liked it because it was the first training he was given that he had never done at the Red Room, it obviously not being that high on their priorities.

He was progressing well, almost mastering the art by the end of the week. The long pole of wood or metal just felt perfect in his hands, he could swing it very quickly around, taking out multiple people at once, and the extra reach it gave him was useful considering his small build. Unfortunately it had lent to Clint calling Ethan "Triton", no matter how many times Ethan pointed out that Triton used a trident, not a quarterstaff.

Ethan had to admit that he was having a lot of fun down in the labs as well. He never considered himself to be that clever but it turns out that his advanced mental processing caused his mind to accelerate his learning patterns. In other words, he was really smart. Some of the scientists down there were a bit hesitant to have him in their labs, unqualified as he was. But when after a while, they realised that he wasn't trying to interfere and was just genuinely interested to learn they accepted him quite openly. He especially enjoyed his time with Dr Kleinehart, who headed the weapon research devision, though the fun there might have been something to do with the shared passion for explosions.

Ethan loved the availability of resources SHIELD had, and how easy they were to get a hold of in the weapons lab. It meant that he could make his passion project quite easily and with only a bit of help from Dr Kleinehart. Pulling out the metal tube, Ethan smiled because he couldn't wait to show Clint, and maybe beat the hell out of him with it as well.

Ethan walked into Barton's office with his new toy in his hand. It was a foot long metal tube that had several buttons down the length of it. The biggest central one that sat just under the palm of his right hand when holding it down extends both ends of the tube until he is holding a 6 foot staff. Some of the other features Ethan hadn't quite tested yet but he couldn't wait to see if they worked.

Ethan was about to start talking when Coulson walked into the office behind him.

"Are you two ready, you've got a mission" Ethan felt his heart race, this would be his first mission for SHIELD, was he ready for it or is this just another test to see I'm he is loyal or not.

Coulson turned to Ethan and looked him in the eye, Ethan couldn't see deception in them. "Agent Jacobs, I have this for you." Coulson held out a leather wallet. Ethan took it and opened it to see a shield ID and a badge with the eagle crest burnished in gold. "Congratulations, agent Barton has spoken highly of your training. Are you ready for this though, your first mission?"

Ethan looked at the badge, he smiled as he looked back to Coulson. "Yes Sir, thank you sir, I'm ready to get out there and do some good for a change."

"What is the mission though?" Clint was rifling through a draw in his desk, pulling out a few knives and what looked like a frag grenade.

"Agent Romanov has supplied information about an illegal weapons shipment coming in, top of the line stuff, and guarded by at least 8 mercs who have special forces training. They will be accompanying 3 tech workers who are there to ready the ordinance. Now get down to outfitting because it's wheels upon 5, I will be coordinating your strike from Control."

Clint immediately got up and started walking swiftly down the hallway, Ethan almost had to run to keep up. Once they reached their lockers, Clint dove into his to retrieve a metal recurve bow and quiver full of arrows. Ethan almost felt intimidated by the sight of Clint but knew that Clint was deadly accurate with his bow so he had nothing to fear from him.

"Where has Natasha been anyway? I haven't seen her for the last couple of weeks, not since my first day here." Ethan looked around for his own locker though he didn't think he had gotten one yet.

Clint just pulled him to a storage room, where he handed him a combat vest which provided some protection from bullets, though still being remarkably mobile. Ethan put a few knives in special slots and put his new staff in the special thigh holster he had made for it. He also grabbed the Glock 22 that he had been using in training sessions, holstering it safely.

"She said something about being Tony Stark's wetnurse and she didn't sound happy about it, though I don't know how she hasn't killed Stark yet, apparently that he is the worst sort of person, especially after he got all high and mighty about being Iron Man."

Ethan remember seeing news footage of Iron Man, that suit of armour looked so awesome, especially after he got to see its proper combat uses. Stark did have a lot of experience building weapons and he did know how to make them look flashy.

"Yeah that doesn't sound to much fun for her, then again Stark might make her life harder for her, especially after Monaco." The footage had come through just a few days earlier and Ethan didn't feel sorry for Nat if she had to keep Stark safe from electric whips, though it had given Ethan a new idea for a button on his staff.

After the two of them had suited up, they made there way to the hanger, which was on the top floor of the building. A Quinjet was waiting for them with the pilot already finishing his preflight checks. The moment they both were on board the jet took off.

"You gonna teach me how to fly one of these things?" Ethan said making Clint laugh. The jet felt odd to Ethan, it ran almost silently, with inertial dampeners that Ethan didn't even think existed outside of Sci-Fi films, which meant that the jet could preform advanced manoeuvres without the passengers feeling like they had done more than a small turn. "If you won't let me fly one of these, you have to let me at least drive the Lambo around at some point."

"Buy your own, SHIELD might actually pay you at soon, though I'm not quite sure what we would put on your drivers license." Their banter in the back of the jet quietened as Coulson came over the radio.

"UAV scans show that there are 9 hostiles in the dock, 4 are patrolling on board the boat and the other 5 are patrolling the dock. You are to terminate them quietly, and then secure the tech workers and the small boat crew. Everything clear."

Clint was the first to speak, "I will take out the boat and secure the ordinance onboard. Ethan you've got the dock, you ok with that?"

Ethan nodded as he felt the Quinjet touch down. The ramp descended as Ethan and Barton quickly got off. They were at the edge of the port, containers to one side of them and a chain fence on the other

"Line 1 secured, Hawkeyes ready to engage."

"Line 1 secure, Triton ready to engage."

"Hey Ethan, try not to get shot on your first mission, sets a bad precedent." With that, Barton ran of into the darkness.

Ethan jumped up onto a container, running silently across the top of it, crouching down at the edge of one when he spotted the weapons crates.

"I have a visual, 3 guards around the crates, two more patrolling and three civilians inspecting the crates, do I have permission to engage?"

Coulson came over the radio, "permission granted, good luck Triton."

Ethan didn't even wait for Coulson to finish before jumping down from the container, landing in an alley between to crates. He crouched behind a big man before jumping up on his back, pulling his arm across the guards head and falling of his back, bringing his neck around in a quiet snap.

The guard slumped to the floor and Ethan moved on, turning a corner and taking out the other patrolling guard in a similar fashion before running forward into the open and pulling out his Glock and executing the three remaining guards around the case. One of the techs tried to play a hero, pulling out a hidden pistol and firing at Ethan. He felt a slight pinch on his right arm, but ignored it as he ran forward at top speed. The three techs had wide eyes with shock at the boy flying at them, but they didn't have long to be scared as each was knocked cold in quick succession.

"Dock is secure, Clint you ok in there?" Ethan scanned the boat, trying to see what was going on inside.

"Almost, just give me a sec." Ethan fell back as an arrow imbedded itself in the container next to him. Barton zip lined down and landed deftly next to him.

Ethan scowled, "10 out of 10 for showing off, though your timings leave something to be improved."

"Yeah yeah smartarse, where are the weapons?" Ethan pointed at the three techies and the crates, two of the men where still out cold but the third was rolling around. Ethan walked over to him with Clint close behind.

Ethan kicked out at the man rolling on the floor, he groaned and curled up. Ethan pulled his arm and pushed him onto a crate. "Where are these weapons going, who ordered them?" Ethan's voice was deadly, like a viper about to strike.

The tech obviously valued his own life more than trade secrets so immediately stammered, "Hammer, Hammer Industry. He has something new, big drones who need guns, I don't know what they are for. Ok, just please leave me alone now..."

Ethan stepped away, pressing on his ear. "Coulson you read that? What are we dealing with?"

Coulson was quick on the reply, "Justin Hammer is Stark's closest competitor. The two have had a rivalry since school. This might be the link we needed to Ivan Vanko, that Russian whip guy from Monaco. Hammer is set to go on stage at Stark Expo in about ten minutes. Agent Romanov is already on the ground, but Triton, I'm sending you in as backup. You are ten minutes by jet, Hawk will deal with clean up from this raid. A STRIKE team will rendezvous with you there, you need to get moving now though."

Ethan started running to the jet, jumping up the ramp he yelled out, "get us in the air now," and the pilot didn't hesitate, taking off almost instantly. Ethan looked at the mission clock, he was ten minutes out meaning that Hammer would already be on stage when he arrived. He pulled out a communicator and found a number in the secure mission file and rang it.

"Hello? This is Pepper, who is this?" A loud voice came through the speaker, it sounded authoritative yet young, though she was almost screaming over the loud noises around her. Ethan guessed that she must be the sitting in the audience.

He gasped as he reached out to touch the screen, realising that that stinging on his arm was actually where a bullet cut into him. It was deeper than he thought though, his arm pumping out large amounts of blood. He grabbed a compression pad out from the medical box on board and wrapped it around his arm.

"Sorry Miss Potts, this is Agent Jacobs of SHIELD, would it be possible to put your assistant on the phone, this is a very urgent matter" Ethan heard the phone scuffling as was handed over.

"Ethan what is it? What's gone wrong?" Nat sounded worried, she must have thought that someone had been hurt.

"We found something, we've linked Hammer to drone weapon programs and they are armed heavily..." Ethan was cut off by a loud scream.

"I know, Hammer just unveiled them" Ethan could barely hear her over the cheering.

"No you you don't understand, they were made by Venko, those drones are more dangerous than you could know. You need to get to Hammer Industries, that's the most likely place that the signal is broadcasted from, I'm coming in to to pick up Hammer."

"Ok, I've got it, see you soon Ethan." The phone cut off as Ethan leaned out to look through the window. He could see the massive stadium where Hammer was just in time to see a figure flying out of the roof. It had to be Iron Man, nothing else was that small and that fast. At least Ethan thought that until he saw several other figures flying close behind him.

"Get me as close to the stadium as you can." Ethan patched himself through to the STRIKE team, "I want you on the ground, clear the area and protect civilians. Do not try to engage hostiles, they are armed and severely dangerous." Ethan was pleasantly surprised when he heard conformations through the radio, expecting the team to hesitate at him giving orders.

The Jet sat down just outside of the main doors and Ethan ran inside, a huge amount of people were running away from the stadium. Ethan pushed against the crowd, finally managing to run through a staff door which led backstage. From the explosions he could hear behind him as he ran, the machines were making a mess of Stark's expo.

He ran into an area backstage which was filled with computers and had two people in expensive suits yelling at each other. They had to be Pepper Potts and Hammer. Ethan ran forward pulling out his gun as he ran.

"Step away from the computer Hammer" the man reeled at the voice turning to see Ethan walking towards him with his gun out. "You are under arrest for extortion, robbery, gun smuggling and terrorism."

Hammer just smirked, as if he saw the funny side, "what kid? I'm seriously supposed to believe that you could arrest me and anyway you can't seriously blame me for this, I've got nothing to do with these drones going wild"

"Can it Hammer, I just came from the docks and I found some quite interesting things there, though I dare say that they won't be falling into your hands anytime soon." Hammer's smile faulted, realising the game was up he turned to make a run for it but Pepper stuck out her leg causing him to fall.

"Nicely done Miss Potts, eliminating the competition." He said from the floor. Ethan smiled at her as he tied Hammer's hands together with a bit of wire from a computer. He turned to a man sitting at a computer, "Are you the drone operator?" When the man nodded Ethan motioned for him to get up and Ethan sat down at the computer. He pulled out his communicator and keyed it into the frequency the mission was using.

"Coulson do you read me, I'm at drone control but it's Venko used his own language to make the program, it's also in Russian by the way." Ethan was furiously typing on a keyboard, windows flashing by on it. Computer hacking was like riding a bike, you didn't forget how to do it.

Coulson's voice came through the speaker, "can you stop them from there?"

"No, I've only got access to basic functions from here, Ivan has the Hammer techs out of the loop."

Pepper lent in close over his shoulder, "aww Phil, it's good to hear your voice. You know where Hammer's office is? That's where Venko must be."

It was Ethan who replied, "Agent Romanov... Er I mean Natalie is already on route, she should be in by now." Ethan pressed another button on his communicator, accessing the frequency Nat and Stark were on.

"Romanov, do you read me, are you in Hammer yet? Is Venko there?"

He heard Nat's voice strained over the radio, "gimme a minute." Ethan heard the sound of a man being chocked out and then defiantly the sound of electricity and two more men's screams. "I'm in, no sign of Venko though."

"Good, you needed to find his computer and give me access to the drone controls" Ethan waited for less than a minute before his computer flashed up with more screens, he had access to ten drones. His hands started flying across the keyboard again, trying to crack the crazy Russian security that Venko had put in place.

Pepper lent in again across his shoulder, "Sooo, it's Agent Romanov now is it? I suppose I'm not surprised, your resume really was too good, and nobody really speaks Latin."

"solum cum amicis meis epularer" Ethan smirked whilst Pepper scowled. Ethan`s latin was excellent, it came from reading so many books in the language as he was growing up

"so you are just a miniature of Natalie then Agent Jacobs? I take it that is your real name or are you too much of a spy to even have a proper name?" Ethan smirked again from hearing Pepper called Nat 'Natalie'.

Ethan watched through the onboard cameras of the drones as Stark and his sidekick steadily took out the drones one by one, ending in a massive showdown where Stark ended up using a massive laser to cut through a dozen of the robots at once. Ethan lost the feed after that and turned to face Pepper. he heard through his communicator had secured the area and were awaiting orders.

"Another team is here to bring them all in, I want them in holding cells within the hour.'' Ethan knew that most of the techs were innocent but they had helped a mad man and a Russian almost kill a lot of people so a night in a cell might do them some good.

Suddenly Stark's voice came through the comms. "Venko is down, I repeat Venko is down, but he's rigged all the machines to blow, everyone needs to get outta there now."

Ethan swivelled back around, able to see on his screen that the drone where indeed set to blow. he furiously mashed into the keyboard, typing commands so quickly that his hands started to blur. "Oh no you don't, I'm not letting you win today."

A small timer starting at 10 appeared in the top left hand corner of the screen and was quickly counting down. With half a second left Ethan finally broke through and the countdown stopped. Ethan leaned back in his chair whistling.

"Nicely done boy scout." Tony Stark, wearing an Iron Man suit was standing right behind him.

Ethan stood up as he turned around, holding out his hand for Stark. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Stark, I'm Agent Jacobs"

"What's Fury doing letting boy scouts into SHIELD, I though you lot were meant to be all sneaky spy's and stuff. What do you do, put cameras in the cookie boxes?" Ethan now could see why Clint had mentioned about Nat killing Stark.

"Just ignore him, he's always an as-" Pepper was cut of as Stark swept her off of her feet and kissed her. Ethan smirked at the surprised look on Pepper's face, this was obviously not the norm.

"I'll just... um go wait outside." Ethan grabbed Hammer, lifting him up and pushing him out the front door. The STRIKE team had already gone back to base, not wanting to confront the media which was just arriving so Ethan handed over Hammer to the NYPD that were waiting, ignoring the odd looks they gave him, even after he flashed his SHIELD badge.

His communicator bleeped and he groaned. "What is it?" Stark and Pepper had come outside to find him.

"No rest for the wicked, I've been ordered to escort you two home to Malibu."

"Yeah we really don't need that, Pepper bring the plane around." Stark just waved his hand through the air, Ethan couldn't decide whether he was joking or not.

"I'm sorry Mr Stark, I've been ordered to take you both home on our SHIELD Quinjet. Im sure you will find it perfectly comfortable. If you would step this way please." Ethan walked over to where the Quinjet was parked, feeling sorry for his Pilot who now had another two or three hour flight ahead of him.

Once the two passengers where inside the Jet immediately took off. Pepper looked over at Ethan.

"So, Agent Jacobs, how did you get started at SHIELD, and if I might add so young as well, you can't be more that 16?" Pepper looked interested, Ethan couldn't tell if she was actually interested or just polite.

"Please Miss Potts, call me Ethan. Im sorry though, how I was recruited is classified. All I can say is that I have a... Unique skill set and SHIELD helped me to put it to good use, and I'm only 15, my birthday isn't till next week."

"Well Fury has you trained well doesn't he, perfect little spy, won't say a word." Tony's voice was rude but that might just come from him being a billionaire, used to getting what he wanted.

He was fiddling with the arm of his suit, looking at the firing mechanism of a missile that would come out of his arm.

"What's the problem. Is it with the firing mechanism?" Tony just scowled at Ethan

"I doubt you would understand, its just that a basic electromagnet which triggers the servo to move the arm also warps the metal around this fir-"

"and you need to figure out how to stop the polarising effect because it could mess with the propulsion system. All you need is a small circuit in there that will reverse the electron flow and neutralise the magnetism" Tony's eyes turned from annoyance to confusion and then laughter before turning to Pepper.

"Can we keep him, pretty please" Ethan and Pepper both laughed. Ethan seemed to have won a seal of approval from Tony Stark, though he wasn't quite sure how good a sign that was.

The rest of the flight went by Tony and Ethan talking about improvements that could be made to the suit whilst Pepper was working away on her phone. To Ethan it sounded like she had just bought most of Hammer Industries but he may have been wrong.

They landed on the driveway of Starks house not long after. "Don't be a stranger boy scout, I'm going to get you out to Stark tower in New York after its finished, top ten floors, all R&D, you would love it."

"Thanks for everything you've done, I don't know where we would be if you at Nat hadn't shown up like you did."

The two passengers quickly got off. Ethan was surprised when Coulson got on though.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were still in New York" Coulson just smiled at him.


	8. Chapter 8

"I came to pick you up, we are being reassigned, I hope you like the desert." Ethan just sighed.

Once the jet was back in the air, Ethan turned to Coulson. "What's up, I mean, I do love a sunny field trip but I would've like five minutes to sit down between saving the world."

To Ethan's credit, he did manage to make Coulson smile. "We have an 0-8-4 in the desert." Ethan raised an eyebrow, "it means there's an unidentified object, possibly alien in origin."

"I hope thats a joke Coulson, I really don't need to deal with an aliens" Sadly, Coulson just shook his head.

Ethan slumped back in his chair. The tiredness from not sleeping for about 24 hours was finally catching up to him. Ethan also realised that the pad around his arm had come lose and he had been losing blood for a while. "Coulson... could you... could take a look at" Ethan slumped against the wall, darkness covering his eyes.

A soft beeping noise was the first thing Ethan heard when he came back to consciousness, he felt warm in a bed, though he smelt disinfectant all around him. His eyes felt heavy so a part of him was really tempted to just drift back off to sleep, but he knew he had a job to do so he did open his eyes.

He sat up and looked around, he was clearly in a hospital ward. His arm was aching, when he looked down at it he saw a thick bandage wound close around it. He head was also aching as well, he guessed that he had hit his head against the wall of the Jet when he fell asleep.

He groaned as he sat up, looking around he pulled out a needle that went into his arm. It only felt like a small prick but it still stung after he pulled it out. A machine on the wall which bleeped a few times when he pulled out the wires, which caused someone to come rushing in. The doctor was a thirtyish year old lady who had a bit of a permanent sour face on.

"You shouldn't be up and moving yet, you've only had about four hours sleep yet, you need to lay down some more." She tried to push him back to bed, but Ethan resisted a bit.

"Where is Coulson, he said something about a 084?"

"It's three in the bloody morning kid, get back to bed or I will make sure that your next physical examination will have a twenty mile run in it." with that Ethan relented and allowed himself to be frogmarched back to bed, with the doctor muttering about those bloody agents who always get shot then try to run around with giant holes in their arms. "Are you going to stay in there or do I have to sedate you?"

"No ma'am, I'll stay in here, I promise." Ethan shot her a cheeky smile but the doctor didn't pick up on that, she just smiled and muttered about him having good manners.

The moment Ethan's head hit the pillow he fell back to sleep.

He was walking back along the corridor. He was closer to the door now. The Mistress of the Red Room was standing at the end of the corridor. She beckoned to him again, pulling him forward. She wanted him to go through the door at the end of corridor. He wouldn't go, he would never go through it.

"You are more than the rest, we made you more than the rest. They are marble... You are Iron sent as a present from America" she laughed again at him again, as if she was laughing at a joke.

He woke up with a start. His bed felt cold again, he was covered in cold sweat, thankfully the ward was empty. He was worried that he might have hurt someone if they were near.

He got up quickly, lacing up his trainers that had been pulled off and thrown near his bed. He ran down the ward, trying to leave his pain behind him. When he got through the door at the end of the ward, the same doctor lady stood up from behind her desk.

"There we go, you must feel better now." She stood up and and walked over to him. She pulled the bandage of his arm. "Good, its closed up nicely. I'm just gonna put another pad on," she pulled another pad out from her desk and pressed it firmly against his arm. "You are young and healthy, it will probably heal in a week, just don't get any dirt in it ok. The pad is waterproof so you should be fine. You might want to go freshen up before you go find Coulson, you look like a mess. The barracks is the next building along."

Ethan walked outside. He wasn't ready for the glaring light from the bright sun. He'd never been in the American desert and the heat hit him immediately. He had been trained to run for long times out there though, part of his training. He had been once been forced to run for almost two days in the Middle Eastern desert, and he was shot at if he appeared to slow down.

Ethan looked around. SHIELD had worked fast, they had set up an almost complete army base overnight, except all the buildings were prefabs. SHIELD obviously wasn't planning on staying for long. he walked into the next door barracks, finding a room filled with bunks and a few sinks at the end. A door to one side is open showing a bathroom with toilet stalls and a few showers. Another door is closed at the wall nearest the door, Ethan correctly guessed that it's a storage cupboard. He goes in an finds a SHIELD top and sweatpants that were clearly meant for him, being half the size of the other clothes hanging up. At least someone had thought ahead for this mission.

Ethan grabbed his clothes and went to take a shower, he came out of the bathroom to grab his top and was startled to see Clint waiting in the corner. "Coulson didn't say that you were assigned to this as well"

"Its good to see you to, though I can tell that you didn't listen to me when I said not to get shot. Im here because Fury needed someone he trusted on this one, its one of those missions filled with freakyshit." Ethan turned around to put on his shirt. "Ethan what are those across your back"

Shit, he saw

Ethan looked in the mirror to see the thin white lines that went down his back, each one perfectly spaced below the last.

"They were just motivation to do better, that's all." Ethan flinched at the memory of getting them. He had tried to escape but had been caught and she had chained him up for the days before she had had him whipped. Clint just shook his head

"You know sometimes I forget about your upbringing. Have you stopped having the nightmares yet?" Clint looked knowingly at Ethan who wouldn't meet his eye. "I would be surprised if they had, I still don't think Nat's have completely gone away. Come on your gonna want to see this, this is really what SHIELD is like. Though I've still got to stick with you."

Ethan pulled on his top and followed Barton out the door, "At least its nice to know that Fury doesn't trust me." Walking to the centre of their little village. They walked through a mobile laboratory and came out into a covered section of ground. Lying harmlessly on the floor was a gigantic hammer, bigger than any Ethan had ever seen. Coulson walked out next to it whilst Ethan was still staring.

"Our best guess about where it came from is the the sky to be honest. Suddenly appeared after a thunderstorm. I want to say the two are linked but nothing has been confirmed at this time." Ethan walked closer to it.

"Why is it still here, why have you not hidden it away in Area 51 yet?"

Clint laughed whilst Coulson explained, "try to pick it up." Ethan did, pulling on it with all his strength, but the hammer wouldn't move. Clint laughed even harder at Ethan's straining.

"Have you got a crane in here, I bet that would do the job."

"We had a Quinjet try to pull it out, and it still didn't budge." Ethan felt shocked at hearing that. A Quinjet had thousands of pounds of force. What could never be moved?

"So what are we going to do about it then?"

"There are a few scientists in a nearby town, they are here to research the abnormal lights in the sky, but we believe that they might have found something about this."

"Sounds fun, there just one thing I need before we leave though. Where do you lot get your fancy sunglasses?" The three of them laughed as they walked over to the cars.

Coulson got into a big Chevy and Ethan got into Barton's car. Dust flew against the windscreen as they drove along. When they reached the town, Ethan felt as if he had stepped back into the 1950's the town clearly not progressing beyond that. He pulled Clint's spare pair of shades from the glove box before getting out. He looked around, seeing only a small dinner, a pet store and a few other shops.

The agents walked halfway down the street before stopping at a house halfway down. It was bigger than most, looking open inside. No one was home, none of the lights were on and there was no car parked outside. Clint did a circuit of the house.

"Team is coming in now to sweep the place, Clint, you better get back to base to keep an eye on that hammer, we have no idea who could be searching for it." Coulson's voice was full of authority, clearly used to giving orders and having them carried out.

"Ok then, let's see what we have in here" said Ethan, his voice excited. He walked to the door before pushing it open, no one had bothered to lock it. Ethan heard the team arrive outside and Coulson was wrangling them to strip the place an take all research.

Ethan started to look around. There was a surprisingly good lab inside the building, Ethan had trouble recognising some of the machinery because it looked custom made though he did manage to start up one of the computers in the corner.

Easily bypassing the security he started looking through the files that related to the thunderstorm. Oddly there was very little data surrounding the event, the science team must keep their recent data in another area.

The SHIELD team started pulling machines away and loaded them up into the vans, making sure that they left nothing that might provide data about the hammer. Ethan was broken out of his reading when three people who were clearly not from SHIELD came running in. There were two young women with an older man.

Ethan walked over to place himself between the research and the people he guessed to be the science team, based on their horrified looks about their lab being torn apart.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, you can't just waltz in here and take apart my lab, this is stealing and my data is all here. All of this is my life work, you can't take it." the anger in the woman's voice wasn't concealed with rage burst forwards from her.

"Miss Foster I assume," Ethan remembered the name from the files he had found, "You work is being confiscated as a matter of state security, you lab equipment will hopefully be returned in due time, but I'm afraid you're going to have to leave."

"How dare you take this away from me, this is my life in this room. I made half of that lab equipment myself and all my data is contained on them and in that book." Jane motioned to a book that was sitting on a counter top. Ethan had overlooked it before and so was glad when she pointed it out. Ethan motioned to it and one of the clean up team came and grabbed it. "NO!" Jane made a grab for it and Ethan had to push her back.

"Miss, this is your last chance to leave peacefully, I wont give you another warning." Ethan was glad when Jane was pulled out of the house by the older man with the younger woman issuing threats about writing to the president. Ethan walked back to where Coulson was sitting, realising that he had watched the whole ordeal.

"Thanks for leaving me to deal with that, having me feel bad for destroying their life's work is how I love to start every day." Ethan could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"I thought you handled it quite well, you know why we have to take the research. We are much better suited to work with it and we can't have civilians running around a SHIELD investigation. Ethan just nodded before walking over to one of the vans that had already been loaded up. He yelled back to Coulson, "There's nothing more I can do here, i'm gonna go back to base and start looking through this data."

Ethan hopped into the drivers seat of one of the vans and started driving back to the temporary base set up. He found two tech workers who he ordered to start unloading the van and synching the computers. In the mean time, Ethan walked over to what he hoped was a canteen to grab some food. He found Clint inside, eating. Ethan went to sit next to him.

"I feel really bad about what I just did, I basically ruined someone's life work."

Clint just laughed at him, "Fury asked you to kill four people just two days ago and you were fine with that but now that you go and hurt someone's feeling you have to feel a little bad."

"Killings different, it was easy compared to how I feel now. I guess when your whole life it based around doing one thing, everything about it becomes easier." Ethan started eating the soup that he had been served, it didn't taste half bad considering that they were in the middle of the desert.

"You can't let yourself see you that way, you were meant for more that killing Ethan, anyone can see that. You just have to let yourself believe that. If you want do do something else Ethan, all you need is to walk outside and do it, without letting anything stop you." Ethan felt much better after Clint gave his pep talk.

"Where did you learn to be a good motivational speaker?" Ethan quipped sarcastically.

"Just being around Coulson for more that ten minutes, you tend to learn a speech or two" Clint's watch beeped and he stood up, "that will be Agent Lee asking why I haven't relieved him from guard duty an hour and a half ago, gotta go see you later though." Clint run out the door, hoping to get to his post before Coulson came back.

Ethan made his way slightly slower to the lab by the hammer, where he looked through the data that the lab rats had come up with since he left. He was still annoyed that Coulson had made it his job to wrangle all the scientists and tech specialists that SHIELD had flown in but he enjoyed being back to work in a lab so that at least made up for it a little bit.

Opening the top file, Ethan started to look through the data that came back surrounding the hammer, before turning to look through the lab. He had three doctors, all who had PHD's in varying master arts of science and yet none of them could explain what that hammer was made of.

Looking back down at the folder, Ethan called out, "The hammer is made up of a metal unknown, possibly not an element from this earth. Who ran this test?"

A middle age man, who appeared to be balding early and going grey, stepped forward who Ethan thought was called Terrence Smith. He seemed a little flustered that Ethan had called out his research, "Sir, I am sorry if you don't like it, but that data is correct. That hammer is made out of some element we have never encountered before, which may have something to do with out inability to lift it. I may have a theory about that though sir, if you would look at the markings along the side of it." Terrence pulled a picture from the side showing weird lines etched into the hammer, "These are runes that date back to Nordic times, we've never had a set that was this perfectly preserved before. I am willing to hypothesise that this may... well sir it may be the Mjolnir, the ancient hammer of Thor."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, "Terrence, that means that this hammer would have come from what? Heaven? We've got to try and stay grounded in reality" Terrence's eyes fell after hearing Ethan, "though, just incase your right, start translating those runes. I want a full translation by tomorrow." Terrence seemed happy again at his idea being indulged and he walked off to start his work.

Ethan spent the rest of his day working through the research that he had taken from the laboratory. Jane Foster had been close to something, he just needed to work out what. Before long he realised how late it was getting with it being pitch black outside. The other scientists had clocked off but Ethan had stayed behind to finished off his work.

He was just about to open a file that documented the readings from the thunderstorm when all the alarms on the base started sounding. Ethan's communicator started crackling.

"There is a hostile on the perimeter, he's taken down Riley and Thomas" the voice sounded scared. Ethan was glad that he had his staff on him. He brought up the cctv cameras around the base onto his communicator, just in time to see three more agents be taken down by the man. He was massive, with raging muscles and arms about the same size as Ethan's body. He moved with the speed of a man half his size, he had to be well over six and a half feet. He clearly showed some advanced military training as he ripped through the rest of the security task force.

Ethan realised that he was coming his way. He must be here for the hammer. Ethan slunk back into the shadows to wait for him to come through the lab. A second after the man had completely stepped into the room, Ethan jumped up onto his back and locked his arm around his throat, using all his strength to try and knock the guy out. The man twisted around, trying to throw him off but Ethan held on for dear life, kneeing the man in the kidney's. The big man let out a roar of pain, grabbing Ethan by the collar from over his shoulder and throwing him across the room.

Ethan hit the wall with a sickening crunch, his head felt like it had just come off but he somehow found himself back on his feet, his training taking over from his brain. He almost felt excited when he pulled out his staff, getting to use it properly for the first time. The tube extended to its full length in his hands and there was a minor standoff between the two.

"Remove yourself from my path and no more harm will befall you." The man had an accent that Ethan couldn't place, but his speech sounded like it came from the 19th century.

"I can't let you take that hammer, it's dangerous and could be used as a weapon." Ethan thought he sounded threatening but the big man only laughed before lunging at him. Ethan brought the staff up, feeling as the man tackled him, but Ethan pushed him off with the staff and flipped back to his feet, bring the staff down to hit the man on the floor, but the big man rolled away and got back to his feet. Ethan lashed out, swinging the staff around but the man managed to block it with his forearm so Ethan switched and went for his knee. A satisfying crunch echoed from it but the man just kicked the staff away.

Ethan decided that now would be a good time to try out some of the features he had included in the staff. Pressing the button closest to his palm, the last foot of both ends of his staff started humming as they became live with electricity. Ethan turned down the power though, not wanting to kill the man. Ethan swung again with the staff, managing to catch the man in the side, where he grimaced from the voltage going through him. Ethan looked shocked, that much power should have knocked him out, his staff was almost as powerful as a taser at this level and yet the man had just taken the hit.

Ethan tried to thrust forward, a hit to the face would surely incapacitate him, however the man managed to dodge to the side and Ethan realised that he had made a terrible mistake. His right arm was thrust forward, as it was holding further up his staff and the big man stepped around his staff with speed that rivalled his own. Before Ethan could pull back his arm, the big man struck out at his arm and Ethan heard a loud crack. His arm exploded in pain, Ethan knew that it was broken and as he was turned around from the moment given to him by the man's punch he felt a push in the back which sent him flying again, landing painfully in a corner.

Ethan saw black and then nothing and then red and then black, his vision going haywire as he went through a world of pain. His arm felt like it was on fire and his back and head were defiantly bruised badly. His whole body ached and he cradled his arm against his chest. He was brought back to reality though when he heard a roar from the hammer. Ethan pulled himself up, using the table for support. Leaning on the wall, he pulled himself forward until he could see that the noise had actually come from the man. He looked like he had tried to pick the hammer up and failed, he was now slumped over on his knees yelling to the sky.

"Why!? let me have it. You have taken everything from me!" The man had great pain in his voice, he sounded as if his whole life had been destroyed only to be left with the pieces to put back together. Ethan grabbed a wrench of the table, why did they even have a wrench in here? Slowly walking forward he silently snuck up to behind the man.

I really hope this works

The man didn't seem to even notice where he was, so Ethan hit him around the head with the wrench he had grabbed. It made a crunching sound as it connected with the man's temple and he was knocked forward by the blow. Ethan was happy to see that he had been knocked out.


	9. Chapter 9

"I came to pick you up, we are being reassigned, I hope you like the desert." Ethan just sighed.

Once the jet was back in the air, Ethan turned to Coulson. "What's up, I mean, I do love a sunny field trip but I would've like five minutes to sit down between saving the world."

To Ethan's credit, he did manage to make Coulson smile. "We have an 0-8-4 in the desert." Ethan raised an eyebrow, "it means there's an unidentified object, possibly alien in origin."

"I hope thats a joke Coulson, I really don't need to deal with an aliens" Sadly, Coulson just shook his head.

Ethan slumped back in his chair. The tiredness from not sleeping for about 24 hours was finally catching up to him. Ethan also realised that the pad around his arm had come lose and he had been losing blood for a while. "Coulson... could you... could take a look at" Ethan slumped against the wall, darkness covering his eyes.

A soft beeping noise was the first thing Ethan heard when he came back to consciousness, he felt warm in a bed, though he smelt disinfectant all around him. His eyes felt heavy so a part of him was really tempted to just drift back off to sleep, but he knew he had a job to do so he did open his eyes.

He sat up and looked around, he was clearly in a hospital ward. His arm was aching, when he looked down at it he saw a thick bandage wound close around it. He head was also aching as well, he guessed that he had hit his head against the wall of the Jet when he fell asleep.

He groaned as he sat up, looking around he pulled out a needle that went into his arm. It only felt like a small prick but it still stung after he pulled it out. A machine on the wall which bleeped a few times when he pulled out the wires, which caused someone to come rushing in. The doctor was a thirtyish year old lady who had a bit of a permanent sour face on.

"You shouldn't be up and moving yet, you've only had about four hours sleep yet, you need to lay down some more." She tried to push him back to bed, but Ethan resisted a bit.

"Where is Coulson, he said something about a 084?"

"It's three in the bloody morning kid, get back to bed or I will make sure that your next physical examination will have a twenty mile run in it." with that Ethan relented and allowed himself to be frogmarched back to bed, with the doctor muttering about those bloody agents who always get shot then try to run around with giant holes in their arms. "Are you going to stay in there or do I have to sedate you?"

"No ma'am, I'll stay in here, I promise." Ethan shot her a cheeky smile but the doctor didn't pick up on that, she just smiled and muttered about him having good manners.

The moment Ethan's head hit the pillow he fell back to sleep.

He was walking back along the corridor. He was closer to the door now. The Mistress of the Red Room was standing at the end of the corridor. She beckoned to him again, pulling him forward. She wanted him to go through the door at the end of corridor. He wouldn't go, he would never go through it.

"You are more than the rest, we made you more than the rest. They are marble... You are Iron sent as a present from America" she laughed again at him again, as if she was laughing at a joke.

He woke up with a start. His bed felt cold again, he was covered in cold sweat, thankfully the ward was empty. He was worried that he might have hurt someone if they were near.

He got up quickly, lacing up his trainers that had been pulled off and thrown near his bed. He ran down the ward, trying to leave his pain behind him. When he got through the door at the end of the ward, the same doctor lady stood up from behind her desk.

"There we go, you must feel better now." She stood up and and walked over to him. She pulled the bandage of his arm. "Good, its closed up nicely. I'm just gonna put another pad on," she pulled another pad out from her desk and pressed it firmly against his arm. "You are young and healthy, it will probably heal in a week, just don't get any dirt in it ok. The pad is waterproof so you should be fine. You might want to go freshen up before you go find Coulson, you look like a mess. The barracks is the next building along."

Ethan walked outside. He wasn't ready for the glaring light from the bright sun. He'd never been in the American desert and the heat hit him immediately. He had been trained to run for long times out there though, part of his training. He had been once been forced to run for almost two days in the Middle Eastern desert, and he was shot at if he appeared to slow down.

Ethan looked around. SHIELD had worked fast, they had set up an almost complete army base overnight, except all the buildings were prefabs. SHIELD obviously wasn't planning on staying for long. he walked into the next door barracks, finding a room filled with bunks and a few sinks at the end. A door to one side is open showing a bathroom with toilet stalls and a few showers. Another door is closed at the wall nearest the door, Ethan correctly guessed that it's a storage cupboard. He goes in an finds a SHIELD top and sweatpants that were clearly meant for him, being half the size of the other clothes hanging up. At least someone had thought ahead for this mission.

Ethan grabbed his clothes and went to take a shower, he came out of the bathroom to grab his top and was startled to see Clint waiting in the corner. "Coulson didn't say that you were assigned to this as well"

"Its good to see you to, though I can tell that you didn't listen to me when I said not to get shot. Im here because Fury needed someone he trusted on this one, its one of those missions filled with freakyshit." Ethan turned around to put on his shirt. "Ethan what are those across your back"

Shit, he saw

Ethan looked in the mirror to see the thin white lines that went down his back, each one perfectly spaced below the last.

"They were just motivation to do better, that's all." Ethan flinched at the memory of getting them. He had tried to escape but had been caught and she had chained him up for the days before she had had him whipped. Clint just shook his head

"You know sometimes I forget about your upbringing. Have you stopped having the nightmares yet?" Clint looked knowingly at Ethan who wouldn't meet his eye. "I would be surprised if they had, I still don't think Nat's have completely gone away. Come on your gonna want to see this, this is really what SHIELD is like. Though I've still got to stick with you."

Ethan pulled on his top and followed Barton out the door, "At least its nice to know that Fury doesn't trust me." Walking to the centre of their little village. They walked through a mobile laboratory and came out into a covered section of ground. Lying harmlessly on the floor was a gigantic hammer, bigger than any Ethan had ever seen. Coulson walked out next to it whilst Ethan was still staring.

"Our best guess about where it came from is the the sky to be honest. Suddenly appeared after a thunderstorm. I want to say the two are linked but nothing has been confirmed at this time." Ethan walked closer to it.

"Why is it still here, why have you not hidden it away in Area 51 yet?"

Clint laughed whilst Coulson explained, "try to pick it up." Ethan did, pulling on it with all his strength, but the hammer wouldn't move. Clint laughed even harder at Ethan's straining.

"Have you got a crane in here, I bet that would do the job."

"We had a Quinjet try to pull it out, and it still didn't budge." Ethan felt shocked at hearing that. A Quinjet had thousands of pounds of force. What could never be moved?

"So what are we going to do about it then?"

"There are a few scientists in a nearby town, they are here to research the abnormal lights in the sky, but we believe that they might have found something about this."

"Sounds fun, there just one thing I need before we leave though. Where do you lot get your fancy sunglasses?" The three of them laughed as they walked over to the cars.

Coulson got into a big Chevy and Ethan got into Barton's car. Dust flew against the windscreen as they drove along. When they reached the town, Ethan felt as if he had stepped back into the 1950's the town clearly not progressing beyond that. He pulled Clint's spare pair of shades from the glove box before getting out. He looked around, seeing only a small dinner, a pet store and a few other shops.

The agents walked halfway down the street before stopping at a house halfway down. It was bigger than most, looking open inside. No one was home, none of the lights were on and there was no car parked outside. Clint did a circuit of the house.

"Team is coming in now to sweep the place, Clint, you better get back to base to keep an eye on that hammer, we have no idea who could be searching for it." Coulson's voice was full of authority, clearly used to giving orders and having them carried out.

"Ok then, let's see what we have in here" said Ethan, his voice excited. He walked to the door before pushing it open, no one had bothered to lock it. Ethan heard the team arrive outside and Coulson was wrangling them to strip the place an take all research.

Ethan started to look around. There was a surprisingly good lab inside the building, Ethan had trouble recognising some of the machinery because it looked custom made though he did manage to start up one of the computers in the corner.

Easily bypassing the security he started looking through the files that related to the thunderstorm. Oddly there was very little data surrounding the event, the science team must keep their recent data in another area.

The SHIELD team started pulling machines away and loaded them up into the vans, making sure that they left nothing that might provide data about the hammer. Ethan was broken out of his reading when three people who were clearly not from SHIELD came running in. There were two young women with an older man.

Ethan walked over to place himself between the research and the people he guessed to be the science team, based on their horrified looks about their lab being torn apart.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, you can't just waltz in here and take apart my lab, this is stealing and my data is all here. All of this is my life work, you can't take it." the anger in the woman's voice wasn't concealed with rage burst forwards from her.

"Miss Foster I assume," Ethan remembered the name from the files he had found, "You work is being confiscated as a matter of state security, you lab equipment will hopefully be returned in due time, but I'm afraid you're going to have to leave."

"How dare you take this away from me, this is my life in this room. I made half of that lab equipment myself and all my data is contained on them and in that book." Jane motioned to a book that was sitting on a counter top. Ethan had overlooked it before and so was glad when she pointed it out. Ethan motioned to it and one of the clean up team came and grabbed it. "NO!" Jane made a grab for it and Ethan had to push her back.

"Miss, this is your last chance to leave peacefully, I wont give you another warning." Ethan was glad when Jane was pulled out of the house by the older man with the younger woman issuing threats about writing to the president. Ethan walked back to where Coulson was sitting, realising that he had watched the whole ordeal.

"Thanks for leaving me to deal with that, having me feel bad for destroying their life's work is how I love to start every day." Ethan could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"I thought you handled it quite well, you know why we have to take the research. We are much better suited to work with it and we can't have civilians running around a SHIELD investigation. Ethan just nodded before walking over to one of the vans that had already been loaded up. He yelled back to Coulson, "There's nothing more I can do here, i'm gonna go back to base and start looking through this data."

Ethan hopped into the drivers seat of one of the vans and started driving back to the temporary base set up. He found two tech workers who he ordered to start unloading the van and synching the computers. In the mean time, Ethan walked over to what he hoped was a canteen to grab some food. He found Clint inside, eating. Ethan went to sit next to him.

"I feel really bad about what I just did, I basically ruined someone's life work."

Clint just laughed at him, "Fury asked you to kill four people just two days ago and you were fine with that but now that you go and hurt someone's feeling you have to feel a little bad."

"Killings different, it was easy compared to how I feel now. I guess when your whole life it based around doing one thing, everything about it becomes easier." Ethan started eating the soup that he had been served, it didn't taste half bad considering that they were in the middle of the desert.

"You can't let yourself see you that way, you were meant for more that killing Ethan, anyone can see that. You just have to let yourself believe that. If you want do do something else Ethan, all you need is to walk outside and do it, without letting anything stop you." Ethan felt much better after Clint gave his pep talk.

"Where did you learn to be a good motivational speaker?" Ethan quipped sarcastically.

"Just being around Coulson for more that ten minutes, you tend to learn a speech or two" Clint's watch beeped and he stood up, "that will be Agent Lee asking why I haven't relieved him from guard duty an hour and a half ago, gotta go see you later though." Clint run out the door, hoping to get to his post before Coulson came back.

Ethan made his way slightly slower to the lab by the hammer, where he looked through the data that the lab rats had come up with since he left. He was still annoyed that Coulson had made it his job to wrangle all the scientists and tech specialists that SHIELD had flown in but he enjoyed being back to work in a lab so that at least made up for it a little bit.

Opening the top file, Ethan started to look through the data that came back surrounding the hammer, before turning to look through the lab. He had three doctors, all who had PHD's in varying master arts of science and yet none of them could explain what that hammer was made of.

Looking back down at the folder, Ethan called out, "The hammer is made up of a metal unknown, possibly not an element from this earth. Who ran this test?"

A middle age man, who appeared to be balding early and going grey, stepped forward who Ethan thought was called Terrence Smith. He seemed a little flustered that Ethan had called out his research, "Sir, I am sorry if you don't like it, but that data is correct. That hammer is made out of some element we have never encountered before, which may have something to do with out inability to lift it. I may have a theory about that though sir, if you would look at the markings along the side of it." Terrence pulled a picture from the side showing weird lines etched into the hammer, "These are runes that date back to Nordic times, we've never had a set that was this perfectly preserved before. I am willing to hypothesise that this may... well sir it may be the Mjolnir, the ancient hammer of Thor."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, "Terrence, that means that this hammer would have come from what? Heaven? We've got to try and stay grounded in reality" Terrence's eyes fell after hearing Ethan, "though, just incase your right, start translating those runes. I want a full translation by tomorrow." Terrence seemed happy again at his idea being indulged and he walked off to start his work.

Ethan spent the rest of his day working through the research that he had taken from the laboratory. Jane Foster had been close to something, he just needed to work out what. Before long he realised how late it was getting with it being pitch black outside. The other scientists had clocked off but Ethan had stayed behind to finished off his work.

He was just about to open a file that documented the readings from the thunderstorm when all the alarms on the base started sounding. Ethan's communicator started crackling.

"There is a hostile on the perimeter, he's taken down Riley and Thomas" the voice sounded scared. Ethan was glad that he had his staff on him. He brought up the cctv cameras around the base onto his communicator, just in time to see three more agents be taken down by the man. He was massive, with raging muscles and arms about the same size as Ethan's body. He moved with the speed of a man half his size, he had to be well over six and a half feet. He clearly showed some advanced military training as he ripped through the rest of the security task force.

Ethan realised that he was coming his way. He must be here for the hammer. Ethan slunk back into the shadows to wait for him to come through the lab. A second after the man had completely stepped into the room, Ethan jumped up onto his back and locked his arm around his throat, using all his strength to try and knock the guy out. The man twisted around, trying to throw him off but Ethan held on for dear life, kneeing the man in the kidney's. The big man let out a roar of pain, grabbing Ethan by the collar from over his shoulder and throwing him across the room.

Ethan hit the wall with a sickening crunch, his head felt like it had just come off but he somehow found himself back on his feet, his training taking over from his brain. He almost felt excited when he pulled out his staff, getting to use it properly for the first time. The tube extended to its full length in his hands and there was a minor standoff between the two.

"Remove yourself from my path and no more harm will befall you." The man had an accent that Ethan couldn't place, but his speech sounded like it came from the 19th century.

"I can't let you take that hammer, it's dangerous and could be used as a weapon." Ethan thought he sounded threatening but the big man only laughed before lunging at him. Ethan brought the staff up, feeling as the man tackled him, but Ethan pushed him off with the staff and flipped back to his feet, bring the staff down to hit the man on the floor, but the big man rolled away and got back to his feet. Ethan lashed out, swinging the staff around but the man managed to block it with his forearm so Ethan switched and went for his knee. A satisfying crunch echoed from it but the man just kicked the staff away.

Ethan decided that now would be a good time to try out some of the features he had included in the staff. Pressing the button closest to his palm, the last foot of both ends of his staff started humming as they became live with electricity. Ethan turned down the power though, not wanting to kill the man. Ethan swung again with the staff, managing to catch the man in the side, where he grimaced from the voltage going through him. Ethan looked shocked, that much power should have knocked him out, his staff was almost as powerful as a taser at this level and yet the man had just taken the hit.

Ethan tried to thrust forward, a hit to the face would surely incapacitate him, however the man managed to dodge to the side and Ethan realised that he had made a terrible mistake. His right arm was thrust forward, as it was holding further up his staff and the big man stepped around his staff with speed that rivalled his own. Before Ethan could pull back his arm, the big man struck out at his arm and Ethan heard a loud crack. His arm exploded in pain, Ethan knew that it was broken and as he was turned around from the moment given to him by the man's punch he felt a push in the back which sent him flying again, landing painfully in a corner.

Ethan saw black and then nothing and then red and then black, his vision going haywire as he went through a world of pain. His arm felt like it was on fire and his back and head were defiantly bruised badly. His whole body ached and he cradled his arm against his chest. He was brought back to reality though when he heard a roar from the hammer. Ethan pulled himself up, using the table for support. Leaning on the wall, he pulled himself forward until he could see that the noise had actually come from the man. He looked like he had tried to pick the hammer up and failed, he was now slumped over on his knees yelling to the sky.

"Why!? let me have it. You have taken everything from me!" The man had great pain in his voice, he sounded as if his whole life had been destroyed only to be left with the pieces to put back together. Ethan grabbed a wrench of the table, why did they even have a wrench in here? Slowly walking forward he silently snuck up to behind the man.

I really hope this works

The man didn't seem to even notice where he was, so Ethan hit him around the head with the wrench he had grabbed. It made a crunching sound as it connected with the man's temple and he was knocked forward by the blow. Ethan was happy to see that he had been knocked out.


	10. Chapter 10

"I came to pick you up, we are being reassigned, I hope you like the desert." Ethan just sighed.

Once the jet was back in the air, Ethan turned to Coulson. "What's up, I mean, I do love a sunny field trip but I would've like five minutes to sit down between saving the world."

To Ethan's credit, he did manage to make Coulson smile. "We have an 0-8-4 in the desert." Ethan raised an eyebrow, "it means there's an unidentified object, possibly alien in origin."

"I hope thats a joke Coulson, I really don't need to deal with an aliens" Sadly, Coulson just shook his head.

Ethan slumped back in his chair. The tiredness from not sleeping for about 24 hours was finally catching up to him. Ethan also realised that the pad around his arm had come lose and he had been losing blood for a while. "Coulson... could you... could take a look at" Ethan slumped against the wall, darkness covering his eyes.

A soft beeping noise was the first thing Ethan heard when he came back to consciousness, he felt warm in a bed, though he smelt disinfectant all around him. His eyes felt heavy so a part of him was really tempted to just drift back off to sleep, but he knew he had a job to do so he did open his eyes.

He sat up and looked around, he was clearly in a hospital ward. His arm was aching, when he looked down at it he saw a thick bandage wound close around it. He head was also aching as well, he guessed that he had hit his head against the wall of the Jet when he fell asleep.

He groaned as he sat up, looking around he pulled out a needle that went into his arm. It only felt like a small prick but it still stung after he pulled it out. A machine on the wall which bleeped a few times when he pulled out the wires, which caused someone to come rushing in. The doctor was a thirtyish year old lady who had a bit of a permanent sour face on.

"You shouldn't be up and moving yet, you've only had about four hours sleep yet, you need to lay down some more." She tried to push him back to bed, but Ethan resisted a bit.

"Where is Coulson, he said something about a 084?"

"It's three in the bloody morning kid, get back to bed or I will make sure that your next physical examination will have a twenty mile run in it." with that Ethan relented and allowed himself to be frogmarched back to bed, with the doctor muttering about those bloody agents who always get shot then try to run around with giant holes in their arms. "Are you going to stay in there or do I have to sedate you?"

"No ma'am, I'll stay in here, I promise." Ethan shot her a cheeky smile but the doctor didn't pick up on that, she just smiled and muttered about him having good manners.

The moment Ethan's head hit the pillow he fell back to sleep.

He was walking back along the corridor. He was closer to the door now. The Mistress of the Red Room was standing at the end of the corridor. She beckoned to him again, pulling him forward. She wanted him to go through the door at the end of corridor. He wouldn't go, he would never go through it.

"You are more than the rest, we made you more than the rest. They are marble... You are Iron sent as a present from America" she laughed again at him again, as if she was laughing at a joke.

He woke up with a start. His bed felt cold again, he was covered in cold sweat, thankfully the ward was empty. He was worried that he might have hurt someone if they were near.

He got up quickly, lacing up his trainers that had been pulled off and thrown near his bed. He ran down the ward, trying to leave his pain behind him. When he got through the door at the end of the ward, the same doctor lady stood up from behind her desk.

"There we go, you must feel better now." She stood up and and walked over to him. She pulled the bandage of his arm. "Good, its closed up nicely. I'm just gonna put another pad on," she pulled another pad out from her desk and pressed it firmly against his arm. "You are young and healthy, it will probably heal in a week, just don't get any dirt in it ok. The pad is waterproof so you should be fine. You might want to go freshen up before you go find Coulson, you look like a mess. The barracks is the next building along."

Ethan walked outside. He wasn't ready for the glaring light from the bright sun. He'd never been in the American desert and the heat hit him immediately. He had been trained to run for long times out there though, part of his training. He had been once been forced to run for almost two days in the Middle Eastern desert, and he was shot at if he appeared to slow down.

Ethan looked around. SHIELD had worked fast, they had set up an almost complete army base overnight, except all the buildings were prefabs. SHIELD obviously wasn't planning on staying for long. he walked into the next door barracks, finding a room filled with bunks and a few sinks at the end. A door to one side is open showing a bathroom with toilet stalls and a few showers. Another door is closed at the wall nearest the door, Ethan correctly guessed that it's a storage cupboard. He goes in an finds a SHIELD top and sweatpants that were clearly meant for him, being half the size of the other clothes hanging up. At least someone had thought ahead for this mission.

Ethan grabbed his clothes and went to take a shower, he came out of the bathroom to grab his top and was startled to see Clint waiting in the corner. "Coulson didn't say that you were assigned to this as well"

"Its good to see you to, though I can tell that you didn't listen to me when I said not to get shot. Im here because Fury needed someone he trusted on this one, its one of those missions filled with freakyshit." Ethan turned around to put on his shirt. "Ethan what are those across your back"

Shit, he saw

Ethan looked in the mirror to see the thin white lines that went down his back, each one perfectly spaced below the last.

"They were just motivation to do better, that's all." Ethan flinched at the memory of getting them. He had tried to escape but had been caught and she had chained him up for the days before she had had him whipped. Clint just shook his head

"You know sometimes I forget about your upbringing. Have you stopped having the nightmares yet?" Clint looked knowingly at Ethan who wouldn't meet his eye. "I would be surprised if they had, I still don't think Nat's have completely gone away. Come on your gonna want to see this, this is really what SHIELD is like. Though I've still got to stick with you."

Ethan pulled on his top and followed Barton out the door, "At least its nice to know that Fury doesn't trust me." Walking to the centre of their little village. They walked through a mobile laboratory and came out into a covered section of ground. Lying harmlessly on the floor was a gigantic hammer, bigger than any Ethan had ever seen. Coulson walked out next to it whilst Ethan was still staring.

"Our best guess about where it came from is the the sky to be honest. Suddenly appeared after a thunderstorm. I want to say the two are linked but nothing has been confirmed at this time." Ethan walked closer to it.

"Why is it still here, why have you not hidden it away in Area 51 yet?"

Clint laughed whilst Coulson explained, "try to pick it up." Ethan did, pulling on it with all his strength, but the hammer wouldn't move. Clint laughed even harder at Ethan's straining.

"Have you got a crane in here, I bet that would do the job."

"We had a Quinjet try to pull it out, and it still didn't budge." Ethan felt shocked at hearing that. A Quinjet had thousands of pounds of force. What could never be moved?

"So what are we going to do about it then?"

"There are a few scientists in a nearby town, they are here to research the abnormal lights in the sky, but we believe that they might have found something about this."

"Sounds fun, there just one thing I need before we leave though. Where do you lot get your fancy sunglasses?" The three of them laughed as they walked over to the cars.

Coulson got into a big Chevy and Ethan got into Barton's car. Dust flew against the windscreen as they drove along. When they reached the town, Ethan felt as if he had stepped back into the 1950's the town clearly not progressing beyond that. He pulled Clint's spare pair of shades from the glove box before getting out. He looked around, seeing only a small dinner, a pet store and a few other shops.

The agents walked halfway down the street before stopping at a house halfway down. It was bigger than most, looking open inside. No one was home, none of the lights were on and there was no car parked outside. Clint did a circuit of the house.

"Team is coming in now to sweep the place, Clint, you better get back to base to keep an eye on that hammer, we have no idea who could be searching for it." Coulson's voice was full of authority, clearly used to giving orders and having them carried out.

"Ok then, let's see what we have in here" said Ethan, his voice excited. He walked to the door before pushing it open, no one had bothered to lock it. Ethan heard the team arrive outside and Coulson was wrangling them to strip the place an take all research.

Ethan started to look around. There was a surprisingly good lab inside the building, Ethan had trouble recognising some of the machinery because it looked custom made though he did manage to start up one of the computers in the corner.

Easily bypassing the security he started looking through the files that related to the thunderstorm. Oddly there was very little data surrounding the event, the science team must keep their recent data in another area.

The SHIELD team started pulling machines away and loaded them up into the vans, making sure that they left nothing that might provide data about the hammer. Ethan was broken out of his reading when three people who were clearly not from SHIELD came running in. There were two young women with an older man.

Ethan walked over to place himself between the research and the people he guessed to be the science team, based on their horrified looks about their lab being torn apart.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, you can't just waltz in here and take apart my lab, this is stealing and my data is all here. All of this is my life work, you can't take it." the anger in the woman's voice wasn't concealed with rage burst forwards from her.

"Miss Foster I assume," Ethan remembered the name from the files he had found, "You work is being confiscated as a matter of state security, you lab equipment will hopefully be returned in due time, but I'm afraid you're going to have to leave."

"How dare you take this away from me, this is my life in this room. I made half of that lab equipment myself and all my data is contained on them and in that book." Jane motioned to a book that was sitting on a counter top. Ethan had overlooked it before and so was glad when she pointed it out. Ethan motioned to it and one of the clean up team came and grabbed it. "NO!" Jane made a grab for it and Ethan had to push her back.

"Miss, this is your last chance to leave peacefully, I wont give you another warning." Ethan was glad when Jane was pulled out of the house by the older man with the younger woman issuing threats about writing to the president. Ethan walked back to where Coulson was sitting, realising that he had watched the whole ordeal.

"Thanks for leaving me to deal with that, having me feel bad for destroying their life's work is how I love to start every day." Ethan could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"I thought you handled it quite well, you know why we have to take the research. We are much better suited to work with it and we can't have civilians running around a SHIELD investigation. Ethan just nodded before walking over to one of the vans that had already been loaded up. He yelled back to Coulson, "There's nothing more I can do here, i'm gonna go back to base and start looking through this data."

Ethan hopped into the drivers seat of one of the vans and started driving back to the temporary base set up. He found two tech workers who he ordered to start unloading the van and synching the computers. In the mean time, Ethan walked over to what he hoped was a canteen to grab some food. He found Clint inside, eating. Ethan went to sit next to him.

"I feel really bad about what I just did, I basically ruined someone's life work."

Clint just laughed at him, "Fury asked you to kill four people just two days ago and you were fine with that but now that you go and hurt someone's feeling you have to feel a little bad."

"Killings different, it was easy compared to how I feel now. I guess when your whole life it based around doing one thing, everything about it becomes easier." Ethan started eating the soup that he had been served, it didn't taste half bad considering that they were in the middle of the desert.

"You can't let yourself see you that way, you were meant for more that killing Ethan, anyone can see that. You just have to let yourself believe that. If you want do do something else Ethan, all you need is to walk outside and do it, without letting anything stop you." Ethan felt much better after Clint gave his pep talk.

"Where did you learn to be a good motivational speaker?" Ethan quipped sarcastically.

"Just being around Coulson for more that ten minutes, you tend to learn a speech or two" Clint's watch beeped and he stood up, "that will be Agent Lee asking why I haven't relieved him from guard duty an hour and a half ago, gotta go see you later though." Clint run out the door, hoping to get to his post before Coulson came back.

Ethan made his way slightly slower to the lab by the hammer, where he looked through the data that the lab rats had come up with since he left. He was still annoyed that Coulson had made it his job to wrangle all the scientists and tech specialists that SHIELD had flown in but he enjoyed being back to work in a lab so that at least made up for it a little bit.

Opening the top file, Ethan started to look through the data that came back surrounding the hammer, before turning to look through the lab. He had three doctors, all who had PHD's in varying master arts of science and yet none of them could explain what that hammer was made of.

Looking back down at the folder, Ethan called out, "The hammer is made up of a metal unknown, possibly not an element from this earth. Who ran this test?"

A middle age man, who appeared to be balding early and going grey, stepped forward who Ethan thought was called Terrence Smith. He seemed a little flustered that Ethan had called out his research, "Sir, I am sorry if you don't like it, but that data is correct. That hammer is made out of some element we have never encountered before, which may have something to do with out inability to lift it. I may have a theory about that though sir, if you would look at the markings along the side of it." Terrence pulled a picture from the side showing weird lines etched into the hammer, "These are runes that date back to Nordic times, we've never had a set that was this perfectly preserved before. I am willing to hypothesise that this may... well sir it may be the Mjolnir, the ancient hammer of Thor."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, "Terrence, that means that this hammer would have come from what? Heaven? We've got to try and stay grounded in reality" Terrence's eyes fell after hearing Ethan, "though, just incase your right, start translating those runes. I want a full translation by tomorrow." Terrence seemed happy again at his idea being indulged and he walked off to start his work.

Ethan spent the rest of his day working through the research that he had taken from the laboratory. Jane Foster had been close to something, he just needed to work out what. Before long he realised how late it was getting with it being pitch black outside. The other scientists had clocked off but Ethan had stayed behind to finished off his work.

He was just about to open a file that documented the readings from the thunderstorm when all the alarms on the base started sounding. Ethan's communicator started crackling.

"There is a hostile on the perimeter, he's taken down Riley and Thomas" the voice sounded scared. Ethan was glad that he had his staff on him. He brought up the cctv cameras around the base onto his communicator, just in time to see three more agents be taken down by the man. He was massive, with raging muscles and arms about the same size as Ethan's body. He moved with the speed of a man half his size, he had to be well over six and a half feet. He clearly showed some advanced military training as he ripped through the rest of the security task force.

Ethan realised that he was coming his way. He must be here for the hammer. Ethan slunk back into the shadows to wait for him to come through the lab. A second after the man had completely stepped into the room, Ethan jumped up onto his back and locked his arm around his throat, using all his strength to try and knock the guy out. The man twisted around, trying to throw him off but Ethan held on for dear life, kneeing the man in the kidney's. The big man let out a roar of pain, grabbing Ethan by the collar from over his shoulder and throwing him across the room.

Ethan hit the wall with a sickening crunch, his head felt like it had just come off but he somehow found himself back on his feet, his training taking over from his brain. He almost felt excited when he pulled out his staff, getting to use it properly for the first time. The tube extended to its full length in his hands and there was a minor standoff between the two.

"Remove yourself from my path and no more harm will befall you." The man had an accent that Ethan couldn't place, but his speech sounded like it came from the 19th century.

"I can't let you take that hammer, it's dangerous and could be used as a weapon." Ethan thought he sounded threatening but the big man only laughed before lunging at him. Ethan brought the staff up, feeling as the man tackled him, but Ethan pushed him off with the staff and flipped back to his feet, bring the staff down to hit the man on the floor, but the big man rolled away and got back to his feet. Ethan lashed out, swinging the staff around but the man managed to block it with his forearm so Ethan switched and went for his knee. A satisfying crunch echoed from it but the man just kicked the staff away.

Ethan decided that now would be a good time to try out some of the features he had included in the staff. Pressing the button closest to his palm, the last foot of both ends of his staff started humming as they became live with electricity. Ethan turned down the power though, not wanting to kill the man. Ethan swung again with the staff, managing to catch the man in the side, where he grimaced from the voltage going through him. Ethan looked shocked, that much power should have knocked him out, his staff was almost as powerful as a taser at this level and yet the man had just taken the hit.

Ethan tried to thrust forward, a hit to the face would surely incapacitate him, however the man managed to dodge to the side and Ethan realised that he had made a terrible mistake. His right arm was thrust forward, as it was holding further up his staff and the big man stepped around his staff with speed that rivalled his own. Before Ethan could pull back his arm, the big man struck out at his arm and Ethan heard a loud crack. His arm exploded in pain, Ethan knew that it was broken and as he was turned around from the moment given to him by the man's punch he felt a push in the back which sent him flying again, landing painfully in a corner.

Ethan saw black and then nothing and then red and then black, his vision going haywire as he went through a world of pain. His arm felt like it was on fire and his back and head were defiantly bruised badly. His whole body ached and he cradled his arm against his chest. He was brought back to reality though when he heard a roar from the hammer. Ethan pulled himself up, using the table for support. Leaning on the wall, he pulled himself forward until he could see that the noise had actually come from the man. He looked like he had tried to pick the hammer up and failed, he was now slumped over on his knees yelling to the sky.

"Why!? let me have it. You have taken everything from me!" The man had great pain in his voice, he sounded as if his whole life had been destroyed only to be left with the pieces to put back together. Ethan grabbed a wrench of the table, why did they even have a wrench in here? Slowly walking forward he silently snuck up to behind the man.

I really hope this works

The man didn't seem to even notice where he was, so Ethan hit him around the head with the wrench he had grabbed. It made a crunching sound as it connected with the man's temple and he was knocked forward by the blow. Ethan was happy to see that he had been knocked out.


	11. Chapter 11

Ethan opened his eyes. He was alive, that was nice. His head ached again though, he felt it and his hand came away with some blood on it, he had a cut across his forehead. He sat up, looking around. He had been thrown down the street by an explosion. Whilst he had distracted the machine, Thor had called down lightning and cracked open the destroyer. That had caused some internal system failure and voila, explosion.

He got to his feet, He was covered in little pieces of shrapnel, a few bigger than the rest that were properly imbedded in me. He fell over again, his bad arm causing a rush of pain to go through him. His right hip was burning and he felt down to it. Shit. There was a large piece of metal, about the size of a carving knife in sticking through him. He pulled himself back to sit up against the curb.

Thor had ran over to him, accompanied by Jane. "Warrior y-"

"Ethan my name is Ethan, stop with all this warrior stuff." Ethan's voice sounded weak. He moaned in pain and arched his back slightly as he felt the metal.

"Ethan you are hurt, I... I am sorry, what you did was beyond brave, I fear I can never live up to such loyalty. My brother Loki must be stopped, he is trying to break his way into my father's chambers to kill him." Thor looked scare, scared that he would love a father.

"Go, quickly. Before it is to late. I'll be fine, it's just a little piece of metal." He managed a weak smile

"I will be back soon, once my kingdom is safe." Thor erupted into a rainbow of light, quickly disappearing.

Jane threw up her arm, Ethan looked around to see SHIELD agents running down the street towards him. Jane stepped back as two agents slid in next to him, pressing down hard on his wound and giving him a shot of morphine in the arm. The pain went away but the whole world became floaty again. Closing his eyes he felt himself slip deeply away.

Ethan was at the door now, standing next to the mistress. This time felt different. He felt different, he was smaller. He was tiny, barely coming up to her hips. She took his hand, but it hurt to move his hole body hurt to move but she pulled him through the door. Inside was a dark room, in the centre was a chair, like a dentist chair, surrounded by a circle of light. He was brought forward, lifted onto the chair and strapped to it. People surrounded him, talking, he couldn't hear their voices.

Once of them pushed a needle into his arm

Ethan flicked open his eyes, he felt dull and leaden. Most of his body ached and the lights above him were far to bright. He sat up looking around him, he wasn't in the New Mexico infirmary anymore. This was a private wing in what looked like a proper hospital, or maybe a shield hospital. He turned around as his door opened and in walked the doctor from the New Mexico, he finally found out that her name was Dr Hope, she had a little name badge on. She looked at him with concerned eyes before checking the monitors.

"I'm almost going to thank you, you managed to get me out of New Mexico pretty quick when I had to give you a medevac back to New York, we are back at SHIELD HQ now." She smiled and Ethan laid back against his pillows again, grimacing at a stab of pain from his hip. "I did say almost though, what where you thinking, I took you off active duty and you ran into a war zone, only to end up with twelve pieces of shrapnel I had to remove with tweezers and one piece that you had to go under the knife for." She poked him hard in his rips. She became quiet again, "there's.. Um, some one here to see you, though I can them away again if you aren't ready to see people."

"No doc, I'm good. Who is it?" Ethan hope for Clint and Natasha, maybe even Coulson.

Dr Hope walked out of the door and Ethan was surprised to see that Nick Fury walked into his hospital room, though he wasn't nearly as surprised by the director of SHIELD as he was by seeing the next person. The President of the United States of America walked in behind Fury and closed the door to the private room.

Ethan tried to sit up in bed but the president held up a hand. "Son, don't move, you've gone through some tough times recently. I can't tell you how much I saddens me to see you sitting there, my own son is only two years younger than you and yet we are relying on you to protect our country. And protect it you have, I've seen many things in my life, both in the Air Force and in the Presidency but never have I seen bravery like you preformed yesterday. You stood up to an unknown alien threat and saved over thirty civilians. For this I salute you." The president gave him a salute, standing to full attention. "We had a slight argument before, you are technically not in the military because your job technically doesn't exist, and given your background you are not an American citizen either, but I said to hell with that and decided to give you both of these. I'm just sorry that they can not be given in any formal ceremony." He opened the door and an aide walked in carrying two small wooden boxes, handing the first to the president.

"This is the Medal of Honor, the highest achievement any member of the armed services can achieve for your bravery and valour during battle." He opened the box to show Ethan the medal in the shape of a star with his name Ethan Jacobs stamped proudly on the front of the box.

"And this is the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be bestowed by me upon a civilian of these United States, for your achievement in keeping our nation safe and free you have achieved this. Congratulations and may I say how personally grateful I am to you." The President opened the second box to show a golden star. His name was also printed on the box.

The president saluted again before leaving the room. Ethan still felt as shocked as he was when the President had walked in. Fury walked to the door and opened it, beckoning in two figures. Nat and Clint had been waiting outside for him. Both of them inspected the medals.

"This is just... phew, you have no idea how proud Nat and I are, what you did was so amazing " Clint Beemer at him, his eyes full of praise.

"Though stupid, you could have died, what were you thinking." Nat sounded annoyed but Ethan knew that she was just thinking of how upset she would have been if he had died.

"Yes Agent Jacobs, I didn't feel as if your induction into SHIELD was a good move. But you have proved that Agent Barton was correct. You have brought a great honour on our organisation. You have proved that you can lead men in the field and are a capable solo agent, going beyond the line of duty. I am promoting you from your training status to a level seven agent. You will be assigned to STRIKE team delta effective immediately." Ethan couldn't think of how to make this day weirder, he had woken up hundreds of miles from where he fell asleep, was given medals by the president and finally promoted from the lowest rank of agent to the highest.

"Th... Thank you sir" Ethan's head felt light as Nat squeezed him. Fury almost smiled. Almost

"You've got two weeks leave starting tomorrow, oh and we got you an apartment" seeing the shock on Ethan's face he quickly added, "don't worry it is just across the road from Barton, there is no need to be afraid. Now I really must be going. Good luck Agent."

Ethan felt something as Fury left, a feeling that emanated from the imposing man, it was a feeling of trust and care. Ethan knew then that Fury really did care for his agents and in that moment he decided to trust the man who probably had more secrets than the rest of the planet combined.

Nat and Clint sat down next to him in the chairs by his bed. "Gah your gonna have it easy, two weeks leave! Me and Coulson have already been reassigned down to Santa Fe and Nat is going to Russia for a couple of months. Though we will both be there tomorrow."

Ethan looked confused again, "how did you find out..."

"What you really didn't think we wouldn't know" Nat said with a superior tone. "it's because Stark sent a gift because apparently you told them it was your Birthday tomorrow and you didn't tell us." Nat really had a good fake hurt face.

"I didn't want a fuss about it, it's just a birthday." Ethan looked around the room, not wanting to make eye contact with them.

"It's your sixteenth and your first birthday in the normal world and you just came back from a death defying triple mission. I say you get to have a party, Laura has already started preparing." Ethan looked genuinely worried now, "it won't be that bad, just Nat, Phil you and my lot."

"Well I'm looking forward to it then." Ethan smiled another week smile. Nat and Clint could see that how tired he was feeling and decided to leave him in peace.

Ethan quickly drifted back to sleep and for the first time in a longtime he didn't have nightmares.

Ethan was woken up by the nurse next morning coming into his room to check if he was still breathing.

"Aw hon, did ya sleep well?" She said with a slight twang in her voice.

"Yeah really great thanks, do you know what time I can get out of here?" Ethan felt restless having been asleep so long.

"Yeah hon, you just need Doctor Hope to sign off that your stitches are ok and then you can go, I can getcha breakfast if you would like?" When Ethan nodded she walked out of his room, only to be back a few minutes later with some waffles and syrup. "There ya go. Now eat up, you needcha strength back." She made sure he ate it all before taking his tray away. As she left Dr Hope walked in.

"Good morning, how are you feeling?" She shone a light in his eye and started examining is various cuts and bruises.

"I feel fine doc, just a bit of aching in my arm, that's all. The new cast was awful though." He had only realised when he woke up that morning that his cast had been changed for a pink one. The President had given him two medals, while he was in bed wearing a pink cast on his arm.

"Well you know not to break it in future now, because I will find the pinkest cast I can next time." She glared at him so Ethan knew her threat wasn't idol at all. She checked that his stitching on his hip was still in place and put over a new pad and then helped him out of bed. "There are some clothes for you in one of the drawers over there, don't take of that pad for at least five days," she motioned to the chest of drawers in the corner of the room, "and I think Agent Barton is going to take you home, he is waiting just outside. You can leave whenever you are ready, now you may not believe it but I actually do have other

patients, no matter how much time I spend patching you up. So good luck out there Ethan, I better not see you in here again for another month at least." Doctor Hope signed at the bottom of his chart and walked out.

Ethan quickly changed into his clothes, Clint must have brought them from his room. Leaving his room he found Clint in a waiting room in the bright waiting room. Disturbing posters about how to look after bullet wounds at home lined the walls.

"Happy birthday Ethan" Clint handed him a cup of coffee, "come on, I've got a great day planned for us." The two of them walked out of the hospital doors, Ethan still with a slight limp. It was odd, because the second you were out the door of the medical wing, you were back in a grey SHIELD corridor. Ethan almost felt blinded from change having spent the last few days surrounded by the bright colours.

Is was a Saturday so not many people were in the office but those who were stopped to stare at him as he walked past, some even coming up to him and clapping him on the back or shaking his hand.

"News travels fast around here doesn't it" Ethan was tired of the attention he was getting and couldn't keep a hint of annoyance out of his voice.

"Of course it does, youre on YouTube." Ethan started as Nat's voice came from behind him. He felt a war glow in his chest to be back with his friends. "Damm, over five million hits, you beat the clip of me and Clint in Beirut. Unknown boy saves superhero. Of course, they have not idea who you are. SHIELD has kept everything under wraps but some cellphone footage leaked out. You are all over the news, better keep a low profile for a while, though no one will expect you to turn up in New York."

They made their way down to the garage level walking over to Clint's car.

"Hope you don't mind, Laura has a shift at work till three so we've got the kids." Clint looked concerned at Ethan. Ethan saw in his eyes a fear that Ethan wouldn't be happy.

"Yeah that sounded great, I want to spend a day around normal people. No more ego centric billionaires or ancient Norse demigods. What have you got planned for us?" Nothing could spoil this day for Ethan, or at least he wouldn't let anyone ruin it.

They got into the car, Clint still not letting Ethan drive even though he was sixteen now. "Nope, not ever, no one touches my baby. I love her more than Coulson loves his Captain America trading cards." Ethan laughed but Nat looked across at him.

"I wouldn't make fun of them, he's very proud." Ethan scowled, still not sure if they were serious or not.

They drove through the city, reaching Clint's home pretty quickly and then swapping the car for an SUV that Clint swore was being searched for by the Tokyo branch of SHIELD.

Nat grabbed Lilia from inside, where her mum was all to happy to get her out of her heir. whilst she was getting ready for work and their small group drove over to the local park where Cooper had a group of friends playing soccer. They all sat on the sidelines, with Lilia talking about her latest obsession with the My Little Pony she had in her hand.

It was nice, just being able to sit in the sunshine, letting life pass him by. They were watching Lilia run around with a group of friends that she had found. Just being able to sit and chat felt so new to Ethan, his life had always been dictated and planned. Every waking moment was for training or fighting or running.

"So how did you not just kill Stark? I mean he seemed to like Ethan but then again both of them are massive nerds so that's expected really." Clint was lying on his back in the grass, twirling a drum stick in his hand. As far as Ethan knew, Clint didn't own drums so he made a mental note to find out their story.

"Stark's not that bad you know, you just get him started talking and he won't stop, practically entertains himself. And what's a nerd, if you called me it though it's never gonna be good." Ethan's sounded happy and content sitting around the grass. He was looking froward to spending the evening with his friends.

"Ah luchshiy drug, I felt like killing Stark on my first day, especially after Monaco, he was such an idiot." Nat's voice was sweet and Ethan heard the dangerous purr in it. He didn't doubt that if she had a reason she would have put a bullet in Stark's brain instantly.

"luchshiy drug, what does that even mean?" Clint looked across as her. Ethan looked confused as well even though Russian was his first language.

"Have you never heard that before? It was just some slang from the Red Room. It was what you called the person who you most wished you wouldn't have to fight." Nat looked at Ethan with open and honest eyes. For a spy she did open up to him quite easily.

"No, I never heard that before... I... I killed everyone else." Ethan felt himself tense up. Clint laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Ethan don't feel like you have to talk about this now, ther-" Clint said with a harsh feeling in his voice. Ethan interrupted him by shrugging his hand off.

"No, I need to do this. I can't keep running from my past, I've got to face it one day or another, so it might as well be now. You know when I said before... About what Nat did to me was for breaking down mental barriers which would magically enhance my strength. Well that was a bit of a lie. There was a doctor at the Red Room, he was on old Russian called Valdov Eustar. He was obsessed with the super soldier serum. The once that made Captain America, Captain America. No one had perfected the serum since the war after the man who first invented it was shot but Dr Eustar was obsessed with creating a modern super soldier. He decided that the reason no one else had succeeded was because the mind would reject it, not allow the body to perfect itself. I was four years old. What Nat did to me had pushed my mind to far. I broke, going completely insane. I remember seeing people dancing along the corridor that led from my cell to the lab where I was tested on. My mind was spinning and reeling. I heard singing. It feels odd now, I remember it so clearly. Then there was a stinging pain along my arms, they had injected me with half a dozen needles. They pushed an odd blue fluid into me, I remember it burning all inside me before I passed out. When I woke up my mind had snapped back, the scientists were surrounding me. Doctor Eustar in the centre. He undid the straps that held me down. I remember looking at him. I remember I said, "it feels odd" but the doctor just smiled. "You are perfect."

Ethan could feel a few tears running down his cheek. Clint had a hard look on his face but it was Nat who spoke first. She lent in close to him, "I'm going to find them luchshiy drug. Im going to find them and then I'm going to kill them all."

She got up and started walking away from him, but Ethan called out again. "There's more, there were other boys, I know the Red Room doesn't usually have them but there was a whole corridor of us." Ethan pulled out the old knife he carried whilst he talked, flicking it in and out. "None of them had been injected, they weren't competition to me, all they were were cannon fodder. I killed them all, one by one. Twelve boys and not one of them is alive today. The worse thing is that it got easier every time. Whether I was shooting one for running slow or slitting another's throat with a knife the killing got easier. And that was the whole idea, make killing easier, turn him into the assassin we want him to be." Ethan dug the end of the knife into his fingertip, a small bead of blood welling up.

Ethan hadn't seen her coming and so almost stabbed Lilia when she jumped on him. He hadn't noticed Nat signalling her to come closer.

"Ethan, it doesn't matter that you didn't have a family growing up. You have one now and that's all that matters. We may be a bit dysfunctional but we will always be there for one another. Lilia what did you want to say to him." Nat had steel in her voice, determined to not let Ethan wallow in self hatred.

"Oh yeah, I wanted too say, um... Happy birthday Ethan." Lilia had her little grin on her face and Ethan managed to forget all his problems in that moment, looking at Lilia before hugging her close. He felt the tears start to fall down his face again but he wiped them away before anyone could see.

Clint was looking at him again. "Kiddo. Always remember that who we were isn't who we are now. It's what you do with your life from now that will define you. You aren't stuck in that past anymore, you just have to let it go."

The rest of the afternoon past quickly, with a familial glow surrounding their group. Ethan had been raised believing that being an assassin meant that he could never have a family. A home. Someone who loved him. He now knew the truth. It wasn't that no one could love you, it's that you find the people that you trust and they are your family, closer than any other bond that can be made.

After soccer in the park, their group went back to Clint's house where Laura had been making a huge dinner for them of beef stew. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted and being surrounded by his friends made it the happiest moment of his life, just sitting there at the dinner table. Laughing and smiling, talking about old funny stories.

They moved through to the living room where Phil brought through a pile of boxes. Ethan realised that they were for him.

"You bought me things?" Ethan felt confused, why would you give someone things on a birthday?

It was Lilia's innocent voice that broke through his confusion. "You always get presents on your birthday. Otherwise how can other people show they like you?" For someone so young, Lilia was pretty smart sometimes.

Clint grabbed the box on top, opening it to show a black watch with silver metal gilding it. It was covered in knobs and switches making it rather big and bulky.

"This isn't just any old watch," he pulled out one of the knobs, revealing a thin cable that stretched out. "This is the strongest wire in the world, that could hold up a car. And this," he pointed at the button next to it, "fires the claw over fifty feet. And-"

"Ok ok, stop geeking out over the watch, let him look at his other presents." Laura scowled at the pair of them. Ethan was looking feverishly at the watch, trying to figure out all of its features. So far he had seen a dart launcher, an electrodisk and if you turned the watch head around it became a miniature computer.

Phil passed Nat the next box. She pulled the is off to show him a long knife that was beautiful. Made with a long black hilt that had an intricate pattern of lines running along it and a small crest sat it the middle of the hilt. It was a circle with a line crossing through it that didn't quite reached the edge of the circle. A bolt of lightning crossed behind it perpendicular to the line that Ethan though represented his staff. The blade was long and thin, razor sharp with a fine cut on it. It was the opposite of Barton's gift. Where the watch was high tech and bulky the knife was thin and old fashioned.

Ethan felt overwhelmed with emotion, completely filled with joy and gratitude to his two friends.

"This is just to... Wow I don't know how I can thank you enough."

Nat reached out to him, resting her hand ontop of his whilst smiling at him.

Phil made a coughing noise at the back of his throat and grabbed a big box that he opened to show Ethan a stack of books and a few DVDs. "Everything you need to watch and read, all the old classics and some new ones. Basically everything to get to know pop culture in the world." Ethan quickly scanned the pile looking at all the names, Lord of the rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars. The list went on and on. He was going to take a long time to get through them all.

Laura pulled out a painting. It showed a field with flowers and trees. Flowers dotted the scene with barrages of colour. Ethan looked at it and was straight away taken to a happy place in his mind, with the wind rushing through his hair and the grass lowing around him. Looking at the painting just gave him such a good feeling of peace, tranquil and calm.

Her voice was quiet from behind the painting, "I thought you might need something to go on your wall in your new apartment, you know, because you have nothing really of your own and I thought it was quite, um nice." She sounded scared that he wouldn't like it, being the super assassin that he was.

"It's perfect, it's looks just so nice. I want to be in there, walking in that field." Ethan heard the sincerity flow through his voice. Laura beamed at him, happy that she hadn't gotten him a bad present.

Lilia had made him a card and Cooper had made him an impressive figure from plastic class. It was a fighter that looks a little like him holding a staff, the painting on it was quite intricate and Ethan was surprised that such a small boy would have the precision to paint it.

Clint suddenly sat up, remembering something before rushing out of the room. He returned a few second later with a small wooden box.

"Jane Foster left this with me before we took off, she said she that it had returned from Asgard from Thor. I decided to leave it for you until your birthday though."

Ethan opened the box to see a small cylinder of a silvery metal with a note tucked next to it. He picked up the note and saw a large cursive text

Warrior, this is what we on Asgard call Mithril. It is strong material, with the perfect weight for any weapon it is cast in. I trust you abilities to use it.

His staff was going to pack one hell of a punch now.

After the presents were done they all sang happy birthday for him as Laura showed them the massive cake that she had gotten from a little baker around the corner. It tasted of vanilla with a lovely sponge centre that melted in his mouth. It was the perfect way to end the evening and Ethan soon started to feel tired. Phil and Nat had already gone home but Ethan had been convinced into staying letting Lilia draw on his cast whilst she got ready for bed. After the kids had been tucked in Ethan couldn't make anymore excuses to stay.

"I really need to go and have a look at the flat, I haven't been inside yet." He was looking down the street, not able to spot it as you had to turn a corner.

"Oh that reminds me, you may want these." Clint was speaking to him from behind a pair of keys that he was holding out in front of him. Ethan took them. The keys felt heavy in his hand, he was not sure how he felt about having his own apartment, his own place to call home. As far as he could remember, this was his first ever. He supposed that he must of had a home when he was still small, still living with his father but he couldn't remember that house, especially after his last memory there was of his father's corpse.

He hoisted the painting under his arm and piled the other boxes into the big box from Phil and pulled that under the other arm before nodding goodbye to Clint and Laura.

"Just remember that our door is always open, day or night." Laura called out as Ethan walked down the sidewalk. He was scanning the distance, looking for the building before finally seeing it. It was a tall building, at least ten stories, with large windows looking out the front. He speed walked to the door, feeling happy as he pushed a key into the lock and twisting with a nice click. The door swung open to show a cozy entry hall with a green carpet and some stairs. Ethan knew that his apartment was on the sixth floor so he jumped in the lift that was just next to the stairs and slammed his hand into the six button. As he spilled out onto the carpet of the hallway he looked across to see the door to his apartment opposite. He went and pushed the second key into the lock, feeling excitement course through him as he opened the door.

He walked through the door to find a spacious living room, with large greens sofas spread out across the floor to create a large sitting area and a huge TV was mounted on the wall. Ethan looked across the living room to see a kitchen with a modern fridge, cooker and sink. He walked across to open the cupboards, finding a few glasses and a mug but little else. He looked around and noticed a small white envelope sitting on a counter top. He pulled it open to find a debit card and a small piece of paper detailing some bank account. On the back of the piece of paper were just two words, go wild.

Ethan smiled after reading it and walked across the room to a door which he opened to find a set of stairs hidden by it to get to a second floor. Going up them he found a bathroom with a huge shower and fancy toilet. Crossing over to another door he found a bedroom that was just occupied by what looked like a very large and thick bed. Ethan found all his clothes in a wardrobe that was linked to this room, which was clearly going to be his bedroom.

Ethan suddenly realised how overcome with sleep he was and fell into bed after quickly changing into his pyjamas.


	12. Chapter 12

He woke up the next morning with a start, forgetting where he was before realising he was in his own room. In his own apartment.

He got out of bed and got dressed, washing in his own bathroom. He decided to explore the rest of the apartment. He walked to the other door on the top floor which he guessed to be a second bedroom after looking inside and finding nothing, he would have to buy a bed for this room. He walked downstairs again to see his lounge with the big green sofas and the kitchen. He found some orange juice in the fridge, it was the only thing in there, and poured himself a glass, sitting on a stool at the little breakfast bar his counter made up.

He looked across the room to see another door that was as the side of the apartment. He walked across the room to open it to find a huge long space, about three quarters the width of the rest of the apartment and just as long. The was a single note on the wall saying Use your imagination

Ethan smiled as ideas started flooding through his head.

The next two weeks passed by in a blur. Ethan kept himself in shape, running each morning and walked around for most of the day. He bought loads of things for his apartment, everything from mugs and cutlery to a MacBook and a new coffee table for the lounge. He got a chance to check the bank account in detail and was very surprised when he saw how much SHIELD pays its agents, at least it explained how Barton could have that big a house in central New York. He had put up the painting and had gotten a few other pictures to decorate the walls and a few plant pots to brighten up the place. He found the place feeling more like his everyday he lived there.

It was just a shame that he hadn't seen his friends much. Barton had gone away with Coulson on some top secret project in Santa Fe and Nat was galavanting around Russia where she would be for months. At least he had time to spend on remodelling the side room, which he was fast calling his Playroom. He had completely renovated it, creating an ultra modern weapons lab with workstations and a mini firing range. It would be perfect for working on his passion projects, like his staff had been whenever he wanted. Upgrading his staff with the new Mithril hadn't been difficult, the metal was remarkably easy to cast and his tests had proved it incredibly strong. It had withstood forces of up to a ton and hadn't bent.

He had also found out a bit about his neighbours, to the left of him was a young doctor. She worked at Mount Sinai Medical Centre, training to be a surgeon. She was pretty good at it apparently, because when he looked her up he saw a possible recruitment tag on her file in the SHIELD database. To his right was an elderly widow whose husband had been some oil baron, she was nice enough and had Ethan help her catch one of her many cats when it had escaped.

He thought that his arm would be in a cast for another three weeks, it was just a shame that none of the healing effects that Captain America had were passed to him. But his time of lazing at home and watching the movies that Coulson had got him had to end and after two weeks he was ready to go back into work.

Walking through the front door of SHIElD felt completely different to when he left it two weeks ago. Today was just a normal Monday morning and people were coming into work after a relaxing weekend. He had had to catch a bus into work which felt both humiliating and somewhat satisfying because it was close to normality, still Ethan was determined to get his own car.

The news had filtered through the whole of SHIELD about what he had done and all Ethan could see on people's faces as he walked in was a look of reverence. He was just a sixteen year old boy who was wearing a standard issue trousers and t shirt and a bright pink cast around his arm who had happened to save the world two weeks ago.

He crossed the room and got Into an elevator on his own. He had a meeting with Fury so he said "37th floor," and the elevator zoomed up, depositing him near Fury's office. He remembered the last time he was walking across here, being very quite and ready to kill. He felt a lot calmer this time, his heart not pumping and his senses quite dull. He walked to the door at the end of the hallway and knocked on the office door, the door swinging open and Ethan stepped inside.

Fury was sitting on the sofa near the door. There were two sofas facing each other, with a small table in between them. Opposite Fury sat a older man with greying hair, Ethan thought he recognised him from somewhere.

The two men stood up as he walked into the room, the older man reaching out to shake his hand. He took it giving the man a long shake.

"Councilmen Piers, it is a great honour to meet you Agent Jacobs. I have to say how proud we all are of what you have accomplished." The man had a big smile, that felt quite forced though Ethan thought that is could possibly be real. Maybe the man was just a politician.

Ethan smiled back at him, "thank you sir, but I was just doing my job."

Piers looked at Fury and laughed. "You make them modest as well. I've got to go now, my job never ceases. Remember Fury, I work twenty floors above you so no excuse to be a stranger."

Piers quickly left the room and Fury motioned for Ethan to take a seat at his desk. They sat down on opposite sides of the desk. "Don't worry, Pierce is one of the good guys, I haven't seen anyone so dedicated to our cause."

"I've read your medical report Ethan, Dr Hope has recommended a further two weeks off of any physical activity but I know that you already plan to not listen to that so I'm going to leave your physical training to you and just say that you won't be back on the active roster until you've passed a physical and mental assessment." Ethan grimaced of the thought of having someone poke around in his head. "We've set you up with a desk in Barton and Romanov's office, I've spoken with Coulson and he has accepted my transfer of you to STRIKE team delta so from this point on he is your official handler. He would also like you to know that you have not filed any mission report yet." Fury felt far less intimidating now, after Ethan knew that the man wasn't trying to kill him.

Ethan took his cue to leave and left the directors office. Making his way down to his own desk where he found a new Mac and half a stationary cupboard in the drawers. Ethan heard the door lock behind him and he turned around panicked before hearing his communicator ping,

"Automatic protocol with my team, you can't leave the office until you've filed the report - C" Ethan grimaced at the message.

The rest of the day passed by quite quickly, Ethan just working on his report before submitting it to Coulson who was out working in Santa Fe. He heard the door click open a minute after he had finished and his communicator pinged again.

"What, with no brake out attempt. Almost disappointed - C"

Ethan didn't like to think about what methods Coulson had put in the office to keep Barton motivated to finish his reports but Ethan decided not to find out.

He had nothing to do for the rest of the day so Ethan decided to head down to the weapon labs where he showed Doctor Kleinheart his new Mithril staff, which the doctor was duelly impressed with and the two of them spent the rest of the afternoon working on improvements to the design.

Ethan dropped into bed that night feeling satisfied with his day, he just wanted everything to get back to normal, or at least as normal as it did in SHIELD.

He actually managed to enjoy the rest of the week, he had started intensive Quinjet lessons which were going very well. The jet is actually easier to fly then the helicopter or few planes that he had flown in his training. It was just as simple as push the stick and go. He had also gotten back into physical training, trying to get himself back into peak physical shape but he still had to be careful with his broken arm. He had even had to babysit Lilia and Connor for Laura while she pulled a long shift at the hospital.

His week didn't get especially exiting till the Friday where Ethan finally got the chance to go car shopping. It didn't take him long to find one he liked, a Ferrari F12Berlinetta. It had a beautiful body with a hugely powerful engine that purred when he first got in. The dealer was shocked when he rocked up ready to buy, Ethan guessed that not many sixteen year olds bought the latest model of Ferrari but once his cheque had passed the keys were handed over he had taken it home. He was bursting with ideas of what to add on to the car, though he wasn't quite sure if he could fit a rocket launcher behind the headlamps.

At least no one would bat an eyelid at the car. If his license or plates were run, they would be an automatic block placed so no questions were asked about it or the driver. Though Ethan was pretty sure that HR would be on his back if he was caught speeding.

The weekend passed by quickly with Ethan just working on his new car. Minette, the young doctor who lived next door to him was amazed by the car. Ethan laughed when she first came down and saw it but he was slightly worried that she got the wrong idea, because she immediately asked when where the police coming to take it back to its owner.

He was dreading Monday though. Ethan had his psych evaluation to check that the last few weeks hadn't left him a drooling vegetable. It would be completely pointless as he knew the answers to the questions that would make him look sane anyway but orders were orders so on Monday morning he found himself sitting in a small office on a mid level floor of the New York HQ.

His psychiatrist was twenty minutes late and Ethan had spent that time texting Coulson about how pointless this was and Coulson texted back everytime telling him to suck it up.

Ethan twitched round as the door opened and a young girl walked in. She couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen with long blonde hair that fell in slight curls and a beautiful body that was quite petite but still looked good. God this must be some secretary who will tell me her boss is late. To Ethan's great surprise she sat down opposite him, placing two large coffee cups that she had been carrying with her on the desk.

"Sorry the line in Starbucks was awful, I guessed what you want but let's be honest, who doesn't love the White chocolate mocha." She spoke with a British accent and looked him directly in the eye as she talked. "It's good to see that I didn't have to have Fury drag you down here, not many agents like their psych evals. I'm Doctor Waters but you can call me Amy. I take it that it's ok to call you Ethan?"

Ethan nodded at her before speaking, "it's... Um good to meet you Doctor Waters, I just expected someone well..."

She laughed, "older? Says a sixteen year old agent" she passed one of the cups to him. Ethan took a sip of it, it tasted ultra sweet and delicious. "I'm the youngest Psychie we have here, I only got my doctorate a month ago just after I turned seventeen but I am still the youngest doctor in America right now. I graduated High school three years early so here I am."

"Well I was abducted into a secret soviet super soldier program as a toddler where I then grew up in an assassin training facility where I killed every other boy my age whilst going through one of the most rigorous training programs that would be impossible for a normal human to survive." Ethan wasn't sure why he had said it. He had just opened up more to this young doctor than he had to anyone else excluding Nat and Clint. And he felt totally fine about doing it. He felt the shock pass over his face and knew that Amy had picked up on it.

"Well I can't say that you case isn't individual but I can say that you are handling it remarkably well especially considering the last few weeks. I take it you've been settling well, enjoying all the perks working for SHIELD gives you?" Ethan just nodded again, not wanting to give anything more away.

Amy didn't let that stop her and she continued one, "I've got some basic boxes to tick, have you been having any residual effects from the last mission? Any flashback, phantom pain, strange noises?" Ethan shook his head again, he felt that he had been able to move on from New Mexico quite well.

"Any trouble sleeping?" Ethan shook his head again, "no nightmares?" Ethan hesitated for a second and knew that he had just been out manoeuvred. Amy leaned forward before reaching into a desk and flicking a switch. "There we go, the recorder is off. So you have been having nightmares, I suppose it's only natural with what you've been through. If I was to ask what they were would you tell me?"

Ethan just sat on his chair motionless, he felt a hand grip his stomach and twist it. What did he want to say, what did he have to say? "They... They're not about the mission, they are in... In the" Ethan stuttered

"The Red Room." Amy spoke softly with a calming tone. Ethan shrank back in his chair, trying to remove himself from the conversation. "Ethan, it's ok, you can tell me. Just trust that I will be there to help you."

"They... They are all from the same time. It was after." He faltered again, "after what Nat, Agent Romanov was forced to do. After that I was put in the corridor, I was so small and voices were all around me and I didn't know what to do. I just walked and fell, barely able to hold myself up. There were flashing lights and pulsing orbs, I saw a lady. The lady. At the end of the corridor. She took my hand and pulled me into the room at the end. There was a chair, like at the dentist and I was strapped in. I could still hear the voices. They were singing or screaming. They pushed needles into my arms and chest. It burned, it burned so much. I screamed and screamed but there was none there. I just blacked out, my mind went blank and that's where I wake up. It was all part of their plan you see, their little experiment. They broke my mind, because that's what would stop the serum working and then the serum snapped it back. Though I don't even know if I'm the same person as I was back then."

Ethan hadn't noticed but Amy had gotten up and sat next to him, she had put an arm around him and once he finished speaking she pulled him close into a hug. He felt a few tears fall down his face but was shocked to see that there were also tears in Amy's eyes. He felt bad now, he had upset her. "I'm... Im sorry I didn't mean to"

Her smiled cut him off. "No, it's just, that story. You've gone through so much and you are still here, fighting on and saving us all. Any normal person would have given up by now."

They sat in silence for a time after that, just watching each other. Ethan was glad to have met Amy Waters. He realised that he had met a true friend today. After about ten minutes of silence Amy got up and walked to the door, opening and motioning for Ethan to follow her. "Come on, I want you to meet someone."

Amy drove him across town to the VA. Ethan felt out of place amongst these soldiers but Amy just strode through. A few people acknowledged her, shaking her hand. She turned and spoke quietly to Ethan as they were walking past a large group of people. "I do life coaching classes here, helping some people get back on their feet after the things they've had to do. I want you to meet someone here." She walked to a door at the far end of the building before knocking politely on the door. "Can you wait outside for a moment."

Ethan sat on a chair opposite the door, trying not to listen in on the conversation going on inside but he couldn't help himself.

"Think of it as a trial run, he's gone through worse than most people have in their entire lives, just let him sit in on one of your sessions, it will help a lot."

Ethan heard a deeper mans voice, "fine, you know me, I'm not going to turn down someone who wants some help. What happened to him."

"I can't really say, but he has one of the best passive faces I've ever seen, I couldn't tell whether he actually was broken inside or was fine until I spoke to him." Passive face? What was that supposed to mean.

The door suddenly opened and Amy stepped out with a large African American man who was tall and slim, with well built muscle.

"Hey Ethan, this is Sam Willson. He gives speeches here to some guys who are having pretty bad times. We are gonna sit in on one of those talks today if you are up for it." Ethan nodded and then shook the hand offered to him by Sam.

"Amy said you've been having a hard time getting your life back together. I don't want to imagine what a kid like you has gone through but if you need anything I'm here to help, at least for another few weeks. I'm heading on up to DC soon." He had a kind face but Ethan could almost see through the facade to the battle hardened warrior that was lay inside of Sam.

Ethan and Amy followed Sam through to a hall with some chairs in it and the two of them sat near the back to listen. Loads of people filed in to watch. Ethan didn't realise that there were this many people who needed help from people like Sam. Sam was standing at the front, reading through some notes and greeting the occasional person.

Once the hall was nearly full of people he walked over to a mic and pulled it to the front. "It's great to see a bunch of you back here, and good to see that some others were grave enough to come to." Ethan was sure that Sam looked at him. "We've all gone through things, things we've never wanted to go through and that we all just want to forget. Except that we can't. They stay there, at the back of your head. They destroy your life, make you unhappy all the time. We have got to face them now, before they bring you down so low that you can't ever pick yourself up. That's the only way we can ever move on."

Sam sounded like he had a lot of experience with pain and trauma in his life. Sam went on to ask other people what happened to them. One person was shot, one was blown up. One man was the only one to survive his squad being wiped out. Ethan felt dread course through him. He didn't want to hear these peoples problems. He didn't want to hear there pain and to feel it just add to his own. He heard himself start breathing hard. His eyes darted around the room. He had to get out he had to escape. He couldn't be here any more.

He was snapped back to reality when he felt a hand rest on top of his. He turned to see Amy smiling and holding on to him. She leaned in close to him and whispered in his ear. "It's ok Ethan, let it go. Let all the pain go, you are stronger than it. You can. You just have to believe in yourself." He felt his breathing slow down. How had she known what he felt, how the pain he felt was coursing through him. He felt that pain leave him, flow out of him in every new breath he took. The air felt fresh and crisp in his throat. The room smelled brighter, Ethan could see a sunbeam glow behind the curtain.

Sam had just finished his speech as Ethan's panic ended and he quickly got up and left the room, he felt Amy almost run to keep up with him. She caught his arm as he was about to leave the building. He looked into her eyes, noticing for the first time the bright blue that shone from them. "Ethan talk to me, are you going to be ok?"

"Thank you, you've helped me a lot." Ethan heard sincerity in his voice.

"That's good to hear at least, I'm going to pass your psych eval, on one condition though. You are going to have sessions with me every week. I'm going to help you Ethan no matter how much you resist." She had a wicked glare on her face and Ethan trusted that she would try to help him at least.

"Ok then. I will see you next week." Ethan said with a quiet voice and Amy turned around to go back into the VA. Ethan felt confused, he wasn't sure about Amy. She seemed like a nice person and she had helped him, but then he didn't even know how he felt now. He hadn't noticed that he had been carrying around emotional baggage until he had just let it drop and he felt some much lighter and freer now but he also felt a little confused s out what to do now.

Ethan realised that he needed to clear his head and he took of running down the street. He was running at full pace, barely fast enough for people to follow him with their eyes yet he still did get some stares. He didn't care though. He felt free of everything, his mind going blank as all he felt was the wind through his hair and the vague buzz of the city around him.

Somehow he ended up in the park near his apartment where he had spent his birthday with Clint and Nat. He looked at the watch that was on his wrist and smiled at the memory of that day. He also knew that Nat's knife was in his jacket which also made him feel a bit safer.

Suddenly he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, he looked across the park to see a big black SUV with tinted windows. Ethan strained his eyes to see inside the car and could make out the outline of someone that was looking at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his staff in its small form before suddenly jumping up from the bench and racing across the park.

He could see the figure start and fumble inside the car but Ethan was already half way across the park. He pressed the middle button on the staff, elongating it to its full length before vaulting the five foot high fence that surrounded the park.

The car engine had started and the man inside was trying to pull out but Ethan grabbed the knife out of his pocket and threw it as a wheel, puncturing it and causing the car to lurch. He jumped up on the bonnet and drove the end of the staff through the window. He felt ripples along his arm as the glass was much stronger than he anticipated but he still managed to puncture it. He then kicked out sending shards flying everywhere and most of the window screen was missing.

There was a big man inside, hands gripping the steering wheel. He had long blonde hair and huge muscles were taught under the suit he was wearing. The man pushed open his door and fell out of the car, running a few meters before pulling a gun out of his jacket.

Ethan acted fast and flipped over the man, landing behind him and bringing his staff down on his hand, knocking the gun to the floor. The man roared out and kicked Ethan in the stomach.

It felt like a freight train had hit him, but he wouldn't let pain bother him. There were people around so he needed to end this fight fast. Ethan lashed out with his staff, sweeping a low blow that hit the man in the knee causing a loud crack from his ankle. The man roared out again as he stumbled but was quickly silenced as Ethan spun the staff around and hit the man in the head, bringing down to the floor.

Whilst checking that the man was unconscious Ethan pulled out his communicator and called in a SHIELD response team who were on the scene in less than five minutes. Ethan tried to keep his face down as a crowd of people had gathered around after the brutally short fight and Ethan didn't want his face on the news. Thankfully the SHIELD clean up crew backed the crowd away and Ethan was soon transporting the man to a holding cell back in HQ.

Once the man had woken up he had been marched into and interrogation room. Ethan quickly followed him inside.

"Why were you in the park today? To watch me? To kill me?"

The man didn't move an inch. It was odd, the man wasn't a mercenary or he would have come up on SHIELD database which only meant bad things. This guy was from some top secret enemy organisation and only one was out to get Ethan.

He switched to Russian when he next spoke. "So you were there to, what? Bring me back. You knew it wouldn't be that simple. You trained me to me to well for that"

The man laughed again and spoke back to Ethan in Russian, "ha, no kid. My job was to find out how to bring you back. At least I found that out before you brought me in. My job now is just to sit and wait."

Ethan was about to shout at the man as his communicator pinged. He looked down to see a message from Sam Willson.

"Have you seen doctor Waters, she hasn't signed in for her afternoon appointment."

Ethan's eyes widened and he felt his stomach drop away. The man started laughing again. Ethan head a crack of glass as he looked up. Foam was spelling out of the man's mouth, a cyanide capsule. He launched himself across the table, punching the man across the jaw.

"I will get her back, you understand. And when I do, I will kill you all." It didn't matter, the man was dead. Ethan got up from his seat and walked out of the room, nothing but murder in his heart now.


	13. Chapter 13

As he reached the elevator he had pulled out his communicator and messaged the one person he needed now and who could help him.

Nat, the Red Room made their move, they took something that I'm going to get back. How quickly can you be in St Petersburg? - Ethan

The reply took less than ten seconds to come through.

Two hours see you there - N

He got into the elevator and made his way up to the hanger. He walked to the closest Quinjet and walked on board. He didn't care what this jet was supposed to be doing. He just sat down in the pilot seat and checked that it had fuel. When he found out it did he took off without thinking twice. Once he was airborn he sent a quick message to Coulson about where he was going and why and told him to let Fury know. He didn't bother to check the reply because he needed to concentrate when he was flying the Quinjet almost one and a half times faster than it was technically safe to.

Almost two hours later Ethan lowered the jet onto the roof of a small building on the out skirts of St Petersburg. It was a SHIELD safe house and he left the jet cloaked on the roof. He walked down the stairs to find Natasha Romanov sitting at a table inside watching the door to the roof. She had two bowls of stew on the table. Ethan walked over to her and she slid one of the bowls across the table and motioned it to him.

"Eat it, your going to need your strength if we are going to take down the Red Room." Ethan knew she was right even if he felt so restless that he had to leave soon. "So tell me Ethan, what was it they took?"

"Not it, her" Nat looked confused for a moment, "Amy Waters, she was... Is my psychologist. We only met once but she... She helped me and they were watching. I think they saw something there and they decided that she was the best way to get to me."

Nat sat back, Ethan couldn't see any emotion on her face. "And what was there there?" There was no jealousy in her voice, just rage. Rage at the people who had hurt her little brother.

"I don't know, maybe nothing but when I was across from the man I brought in and I found out that they took her. It felt wrong inside, like they had just snapped something important in me. Like a chord tying me back to humanity."

Nat nodded at him, "I don't think any person who didn't grow up in their program would understand you. I feel the same with Clint, he is the person that makes me human. Something more than what I was meant to be."

Ethan could hear genuine pain through her voice. "What is it?" He felt so conflicted inside. So bundled up with emotions that he had been taught never to have.

Nat just spoke one word. "Love"

Less than half an hour later the two of them were in a car. It was a sleek Mercedes that was doing over 120mph as they left St Petersburg. Both of them knew where they were going. They knew where they would have taken Amy because it's the one place that both of them would hate to go back to. They had taken her home.

Nat was driving the car whilst Ethan was loading bullets into clips and storing them in punches around his combat vest. He had is staff in its special thigh holster and his Glock on the other thigh. He had Nat's knife diagonally across his chest and a wide range of other gadgets that he had found around the house. His watch was also clipped firmly around his wrist.

"I take it you never told them where it was." Ethan's voice was calm as he spoke for the first time in an hour. They were heading north into the frozen Kola Peninsula. They had another two hours before they would arrive.

"It never came up, there was no point. If they got any word that we were coming for them then they would move quicker than anything." Her voice was also calm. Just as they had been trained. Deadly serious when going hunting.

They fell back into silence as Nat sped down the road. It took barely another hour and a half to make it there. It was a big house, with a well maintained iron fence.

In Russian across the gate frame were the words, Red Room Ballet School. They weren't subtle at least. The gates were standing open, they were expected.

Nat drove down the driveway stopping outside the main entrance. The building looked deserted. "It's as I thought, they moved the school when they knew that we were coming." Nat had gone quite now, zeroing in on her prey

"Amy will still be inside, they wanted me to come back and here I am." Ethan shivered as he spoke, chills running up and down his spine.

They walked together, almost stepping back in time. Ethan knew where Amy would be. He pushed open the large doorway, stepping into the grand entrance hall. There was an area to the left where the girls would train for ballet and would learn to shoot. The big stairs led up to the rooms. Ethan rarely saw this section of the school. He was kept to one hallway. They didn't want other children ruining their experiment.

Ethan strode silently across the hallway, Nat following close behind. Ethan could barely imagine how she felt being back here, especially with Ethan as he was such a big source of pain for her. Ethan felt his own pain coursing back through his veins. This place was no longer a memory, it was all to real. He felt his head spinning before shaking it.

"No focus, don't lose your cool." He spoke quietly to himself. Nat reached out and grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. Ethan saw fear on her face, but a resignation to kill was there as well.

"Ethan, what ever happens from now on, you are to get Amy out safely, do you understand? I don't care wheat happens to me now, the only thing that matters is that you two survive ok." Ethan didn't feel like arguing so he said nothing but he knew that he wouldn't let Nat sacrifice herself for him. He would be the one to die in this building tonight if he had to.

He carried on walking through doors and across hallways, making his way through the labyrinth until he stopped as the end of a corridor. This was it, this was his corridor. His nightmares took over again as Nat gasped behind him. He knew how much pain that this corridor held for her. He walked slowly down it again, sure that he could hear the voices calling out to him again. He pulled out his gun as he walked out the corridor, holding it loosely in his hand.

The door at the end was getting larger, he felt like he was four years old again except there was no one standing out side the door this time. He reached the end of the corridor and slowly pushed the door open before stepping inside.

Amy was in there, she was strapped down to the dentist chair. Nothing had changed in the last eleven years. She looked pale and terrified, her eyes darting around the room.

"Ethan, no no Ethan! You shouldn't of come its all a trap, you have to leave now Ethan." Ethan ran across the room to her, Nat standing by the door. He pulled the straps of her wrist and she sat up. "You don't understand, the woman she-"

"Saying she's behind you would be far to cliche." An old voice came from the shadowy corner of the room behind Ethan.

He whipped round bringing his gun up to point it at her. She hadn't changed at all. The Matron or the Mistress, what ever people called her. The sadistic witch who was in charge of turning children into weapons. Nat had stiffened by the door as well.

She spoke in perfect English with no hint of an accent. "Oh please you could never shoot me, you think I brought you here just to die. No no no dear, this is stage three. Our serum didn't require us to break your mind so your body would accept it, no it would do that anyway. No no no, we broke your mind so we could control you."

She walked forward and put a hand on Ethan's wrist, he couldn't move. What had she done to him. It was as if he's eyes had just become viewing holes through which to see another persons life.

The Mistress leaned forward and spoke on his ear, like a mother to a child. "Now why don't we start by killing my failed student."

Ethan saw his body turn and point the gun at Nat, he felt himself pulling the trigger as she threw something at him. He felt pain all across his body as he saw that she had thrown and electrodisk at him. He tried to pull it off but she kicked the gun out of his hand. The mistress had retreated to a chair in the corner of the room.

Ethan pulled off the disk as he brought up a hand to block Nat's sidewinder punch. He countered, rolling under her guard to give a brutal jab into her stomach and he heard her gasp before she twisted away and brought her hand down like a knife on his shoulder which exploded in pain. He had to protect his left arm which was still in a cast and would be easily broken so he turned to the left and put Nat in a head lock. She pummelled his kidney until he was forced to let go and she flipped up and brought her legs around his neck, trying to choke him out. He jumped up, using his stronger muscles and hitting her against the wall before throwing her off of him.

He pulled Nat's knife out and handled it ready to kill. Ethan saw it in his hand and felt shock about what his body was ready to do. He darted forward, trying to stab at Nat but she rolled away, twisting his arm before he hooked it around her waist and spinning her to the floor. She fell heavily but spun around taking Ethan down as well. At they same time they both flipped back to their feet and Ethan kicked out at her knees whilst Nat punched his jaw. Both of them were reeling from the blows but Nat recovered first and twisted Ethan's knife hand around but he managed to slip it back and pull the knife up to her throat.

The fight was over, Ethan had Nat pinned against him with a knife to his throat. He was barely the same height as her so they were pressed exactly together. Time seemed to slow down as Ethan screamed out inside his head. He felt his muscles tensing as he heard the old lady cackle in the corner.

There was only one thing that stopped him. He felt a tug on his arm and span around with Nat still in his lock. Amy was standing next to him and she did the one thing she could to break him out of his murder trance.

She kissed him. Their lips locked together as Ethan suddenly released Nat. He felt her slide to the floor, gasping for breath from the hold he had on her. Ethan pressed himself into Amy and felt her press back. They became locked together and were tangled up, becoming indistinguishable from one another.

The old lady had stopped laughing on the corner and had begun to curse.

"No, NO! It's not possible, it's not possible." She stood up and pulled a hand gun from beneath her dress. Ethan moved faster than he had ever before. Spinning around with Nat's knife and throwing it across the room. It hit its target, lodging firmly in the Matron's eye.

She slumped backwards. Dead. Her red eyes lifeless against the grey wall. Ethan heard a howl of pain and anguish and realise that it was him making the noise. She deserved more, she should have suffered. Should have been tortured like she had done to him and Nat and to countless others.

Amy pulled his face around, looking into his emerald eyes with her big blue ones. "Ethan. It's over, she's gone. Your safe now, your safe with me."

Ethan let Amy go, turning to see that Nat had gotten up and she hugged him. They held eachother close, knowing that their nightmare was finally over. Ethan reached down on his watch and pressed the small button on the side. A Quinjet would now be coming to their position, following his watch back to him.

He walked out the door, Amy and Nat walking out with him. He ended up sitting on the front step outside, Nat had her arm around his shoulder and Amy was leaning on his arm. He let so close to these to girls. The two that he loved. He felt empty inside though, he just sat there. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened, how his mind had been invaded like it had and how he had almost killed Nat.

They sat like that for a long time until the jet landed in front of them. Two people got off. The two that Ethan knew would come for him. Clint and Coulson walked across the gravel drive towards them before stopping infront of them. The three of them stood up and Clint just motioned to the jet.

"Come on, let's go home."


	14. Chapter 14

Clint walked into their office. It was late in the evening but Ethan was sitting at his desk pushing a pencil back and forth. It had been four days since they had gotten back from Russia and Ethan barely felt sane anymore. He had tried to kill the closest thing he had to a sister and it had left him deeply scarred. He could barely bring himself to go home at night, let alone do anything in the day.

Clint sat down opposite him at the desk. Slamming his hand down onto the pencil he spoke, "You haven't spoken to either of them have you?" Ethan shook his head. "Well it's good that you have me then, I spoke to Nat. She doesn't blame you, she knows better than anyone that those people can get into your head. Amy is your problem though. Nat explained to me how you feel and you have to go talk to her." Ethan just sat motionless.

"Fine then, at least get out of the office, your spreading your negative energy around. Go down to the gym and work something out with a punching bag." Ethan silently got up and left the room.

He did take Clint's advice though and went to the gym. He went over to the chin up bar though, remembering his first day and how he had proved himself here. It felt like a lifetime ago now. Since then he had met a billionaire and a God and saved the world twice. He had been given medals by the president and had moved into his own apartment. He had found someone he loved and gone to save her life.

He jumped up onto the top bar and started pulling himself up.

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He thought about her eyes. How blue they were

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He thought about her blond hair. How it fell down perfectly framing her face.

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He thought about her kissing him, how it felt perfect to link himself to her.

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He thought of her voice calling out to him.

"You've barely broken a sweat." Her voice was so soft and sweet and close... Wait close.

Ethan dropped of the bar and turned around to see her, standing close behind him. She was wearing blue jeans and a fluffy hoodie with Culver University written across the front. She looked beautiful standing there but Ethan didn't move towards her.

"You didn't come to see me, not after we got off the jet. Not after Doc Hope had gotten through with me, not even when I came to your office. Where were you Ethan?" She had hurt and pain in her voice but Ethan still couldn't move towards her.

"I couldn't do that to you, not after you saw me. You saw who I am. Who I really am, just some monster made to kill. I would have killed Nat if you didn't stop me. You are better off without me" Ethan wished for anything but to say those words but knew that they were true.

Amy took two steps forward and slapped him. Hard. "Don't you dare, don't you bloody dare tell me to stay away from you. I saw you Ethan, who you are. And you know what, I love you Ethan. We were together for less than an hour and you already made me feel like I've never felt before. I love you and I know you love me back. I can feel it in here." She pointed at his chest. "And I won't stop loving you ever."

Ethan pressed his hands against her shoulders, pushing his head down the two inches between them before locking lips with her again. They kissed and became one again only like two people in love could. Ethan felt almost like their souls were knitting themselves together.

He heard the elevator doors open but didn't break away from Amy. Even Clint's sarcastic tone couldn't spoil the mood. "Well this take office romance to a whole new level." Ethan turned to him just in time to see Nat who was standing next to him slap him harm on the arm. "Hey that hurt, I'm just saying it's sweet. Come on love birds, we are going to go grab food."

Ethan and Amy just laughed, holding hands as they walked to the elevator.

They ended up in a little Italian restaurant where Amy and Ethan slid into a booth together, sitting opposite Nat and Clint. Their hands never stopped grasping holding eachother all through the meal. They made light conversation. Clint told them about Cooper's science project and Amy said about told them about her parents who lived in LA. It felt so nice to be close to his family, no awkwardness between any off them. They managed to pretend that they were just four normal people who all had normal lives for two whole hours.

After the meal, Nat and Clint had gotten in their cars to go home. Ethan would have to pick his up the next day as it was still at work and he knew that Amy's was there as well. They stood on the sidewalk out side the restaurant, holding eachothers hands as they gazed at eachother. After a long time of just standing there Amy finally broke apart from him and turned to hail a cab.

She turned back to him as she opened the door of the cab. "You know where I live, pick me up tomorrow at eight, we can have our first proper date."

Ethan smiled at her. "On the dot." She laughed as she shut the door of the cab. Ethan felt sad as it felt like a part of him had left him, moving away from him in a bright yellow car. He hailed his own car and was soon home in bed.

He woke the next morning feeling fresh and happy for the first time in a week. He had found his girl and was going on his first date that evening. Then his stomach dropped out. He was going on a date that evening.

He pulled out his communicator from his bedside draw and phoned Coulson.

"Yeah, I'm feeling very sick *cough* I can't come in today so see you on Monday bye." Ethan said quickly before Coulson could stop him. He then got out of bed and got ready for his day. Half an hour later he knocked on Clint's door, knowing that he wouldn't be home. Laura opened the door.

"Oh hey Ethan, how are you. I'm afraid you already missed Clint." She was wearing her pyjamas still as Ethan knew she would. Clint had mentioned that she had today off.

"No I actually wanted to talk to you if I could Laura." She looked surprised but motioned for him to come through into the living room. "Did Clint tell you about Amy?" Laura smiled at him.

"I feel so happy for you, it's good that you found someone." The genuine happiness in her voice seemed to wash over him.

"Yeah well today is going to be our first date you see and, well I've-"

Laura cut across him speaking quickly. "Your totally freaking out because this is the girl you love with all your heart and you don't want to mess this up in any way especially considering that you grew up away from normal society so have no idea what a proper date it and how to make a girl happy?" How had she managed to say all that without breathing.

"Well, yeah."

Laura smiled at him. "Well honey, we've got work to do then."

They went to work. They found a place to eat close to her house which was a small romantic eatery where they booked a table for two. They then went out shopping and bought Ethan a new outfit. A smart dark blue shirt with black chinos that would go with his dark shoes. They also bought flowers and chocolate along with a rug and blanket. The restaurant had a small park opposite and the plan was to go outside after dinner and watch the stars. They then sat down in a coffee shop where Ethan went through his worst fears.

"What if she doesn't like the food?"

"They have different options so that will be fine."

"What if she doesn't want to go out in the end?"

"Then you two stay in and watch a movie together."

"What if she can't stand to be alone with me?" .

"Now you are just being stupid Ethan, you both love eachother and you haven't even gone out on a date yet. Just remember, ask her how she is. Compliment her on how she looks and the evening will go by fine."

Ethan still felt panicky as he paced his flat. He had managed to get back home and had showered and gotten himself ready for the evening. All he had to do now was wait one hour, five minutes and thirty three seconds.

He alternated between standing and sitting, flicking the TV on and off and on and off. He even got out his father's knife that he had left in the apartment, putting it into his pocket knowing that it would keep him safe. He walked out of his flat and down to his car, knowing that it would take him exactly twelve minutes to driver to her flat.

He arrived outside at exactly eight o'clock, he got out of the car and looked up to see a flash of Amy as she was standing at the third floor window holding an iPad up before she quickly pulled the curtain closed. Ethan pulled out the flowers and chocolate and little box as he walked up to the door. It was unlocked and he walked up to her apartment, lightly knocking on the door.

It immediately opened and Amy stood in her doorway wearing a the most beautiful dress Ethan had ever seen. It was a light shade of blue that matched her eyes and it wrapped around her to fit her perfectly as it reached down to just above her knees.

Ethan felt the breath leave him as he couldn't believe how stunning she was. "Well? What do you think?" She gave him a little twirl.

"I think anyone has ever looked more beautiful than you tonight." Ethan walked forward and pulled her close, hugging her and giving her a quick kiss. He showed her the flowers which she took from him before taking a long sniff.

"Mom, these smell so good, and you know that purple is one of my favourite colours, along with your emerald green of course." She smiled at him before taking the roses and putting them in an empty vase.

Ethan put the chocolates down on a table whilst having a look around the apartment. It was smaller than his but still spacious, with a cozy living room and a kitchenette attached. He saw a door of the back which must lead to her bedroom. "Don't you worry though, Laura helped me plan the whole evening."

She laughed at him, "that's good to know, she probably won't starve tonight then."

Ethan pulled out the little box from his pocket. "Though I did pick this by myself." Ethan opened the box to show her a little necklace. It had a small metal Angel made of silver on the chain which had two little eyes that were inlaid with emeralds.

"Oh my god Ethan, it's so beautiful, I love it so much." She turned around and lifted her hair to allow Ethan to slip it around her neck. She turn back to him after he had fastened it and they kissed again.

They made their way down to Ethan's Ferrari where he opened the door to let her in the passenger seat. They drove through the town making light conversation.

"So what were you doing out the window when I arrived?"

"Oh I hoped you hadn't noticed. I was face timing my mum. I told her all about you, well almost. I just said that you worked with me. They know I work for SHIELD so they didn't pry. Anyway mum wanted to see you. They also invited us over for thanksgiving next weekend. You know when in Rome and all that so you've got to come with me just so I can grin and bear it." Ethan laughed and nodded, he was looking forward to spending the weekend with her family.

He pulled up outside the restaurant, getting an approving nod from the waiter who stood just inside after the ma had looked at both his car and at his girlfriend. He showed them to their table and the two of them sat opposite though their hands were linked across the table. There was an old couple sitting next to him and the lady smiled at him and the old man gave him an approving nod.

They ordered their meal, Amy turned out to love the menu, and finally got down to learning everything about eachother. Amy was at an advantage having read his file but hey still told eachother everything, though Ethan just glossed over his training. He didn't want to talk about that here and spoil their evening.

He learnt that Amy had been born in Westminster where her parents both worked. Her father owned a technology firm and her mother was a lead programmer there. They had moved to LA after Stark industries had incorporated their business ten years ago and that's where Amy and grown up properly. She had skipped several grades before going to study psychology at Culver a few years early where she excelled and got her doctorate in a record time. Her parents were apparently very proud in her.

It was almost the exact life Ethan could have wished for. A loving family, a good education though he would have preferred weapon physics and that hot British accent to top it off.

They whiled away the evening talking about their favourite colours and their favourite animals. How Amy liked her tea and how Ethan couldn't stand the stuff. Their food was delicious and the waiter brought out his special desert that he wouldn't charge for after he found out that it was their first date.

After their full meal, Ethan payed the Cheque and they left, grabbing a bag out of the car before crossing the road into the little park opposite. Ethan spread out a rug and lay down on it with Amy, pulling a blanket around them as they looked up at the stars that were amazingly clear even with all the lights around. They held eachother close, Amy snuggled closed into Ethan's arm.

Ethan asked the question that had been on his mind for a week now. "What did you think, after you saw me almost kill Nat. After you saw me for the first time"

"I thought that you were the reason I became a psychologist. I want to help people Ethan, people that are messed up inside. People who think they are monsters when they are good people inside," she poked him with the last sentence.

After awhile Amy took her turn to ask him a question. "How do you do it, I can still barely sleep at night after Russia and they just kidnapped me for one day. You were raised and tortured there and made into a perfect assassin but you still are able to sit here and be happy and love me. I don't understand you Ethan, any normal person would be a train wreck or would've been killed right now."

Ethan looked down into her eyes, "I don't know. I suppose I just always felt better around the people I've met now and they help me to calm me down. Like whenever I have a nightmare now I have my beautiful girlfriend to think of to calm me down."

She punched him in the arm, "ugh you charmer you. Still you are only sixteen so maybe it's all about that child mentality with you adapting to new circumstances."

"Now look who's talking calling me a child, I seem to remember that it was me stopping the bad guy." He rolled his eyes at her.

"And I remember that it was me who snapped you out of her control."

He hugged her closer and they lay back. They lay there for long time, almost falling asleep before they got back up and Ethan drove them back to her house. He walked her inside, surprised at how late it had gotten since it was almost one. They both felt sleepy standing at her door.

She leaned in and kissed him for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. "This was great Ethan, tell Laura she plans a great date." She leaned in pressing her head against his chest. "I love you, you know that Ethan don't you?"

He heard doubt in her voice, he looked at her. "Amy I love you more that I thought it was possible to ever love someone and I literally didn't know what love was until a week ago." They kissed again before she turned away and went into her own apartment closing the door behind her. Ethan felt like a part of him was missing again with Amy not being near him but he had to get his act together if he wanted to make it home before the morning.

Amy and Ethan spent most of the weekend together apart from a few counselling trips Amy had to make. They went around Central Park and went to the zoo. They went out for dinner again and also stayed in to watch movies late into the night. They had surprisingly similar taste in films even if Amy did love a trashy RomCom every now and again.

They never stayed over though, both of them deciding to leave at the last minute before it became to late to go. Ethan still felt a little awkward around Amy. He had been taught that to love someone was to ruin their life and he didn't feel that he was quite ready to go any further with her yet.


	15. Chapter 15

Though all good things had to come to and end and soon Ethan was left alone as he sat in his office sharpening his knife. He had been sitting around for more than an hour after he had arrived before finally having doctor Hope cut of his cast because she said it had finally healed and to not break it again or else.

He was back on active duty now so he just had to wait for a call in for a mission. Thankfully he didn't have to wait long as his communicator bleeped just after the knife had been polished to a perfect razor edged gleam.

Ethan race out of the office as he read the message. A cold weather arctic team had found something and he was being sent to check it out. He got in the elevator before speeding down to outfitters. He found the quartermaster sitting behind a large desk which was built into a wall. The man seemed likeable though he heard stories about the old legend , who seemed to be older than shield was, of him putting live grenades in the pockets of people he didn't like so it was best not to get on his bad side.

"Morning Trevor. I need the smallest cold weather pack you've got, being shipped up to the Arctic." Ethan smile at the man from infront of the desk. The man looked older than Ethan could guess but he still spun around and waltzed of to came back a few minutes later with a pack for him.

"Be careful with this one," he spoke with a rough smokers cough, "it's the only one I've got in your size so you better not break it."

Ethan grabbed the rucksack and walked back to the elevator before feeling it to take him back up to the hanger. He checked inside the bag to find a thermal vest and thick jacket that was inlaid with warm fur. He would live out there at least, though he was disappointed that there were no grenades inside because you never know when you need one.

He walked over to a Quinjet than had actually been assigned to him this time and walked up the ramp to find a large African man who Ethan was pretty sure was called Buster. He wasn't sure if that was his real name or just hobby but he decided not to find out just this second. He shook the hand that had been offered him and remembered after a second that he was meant to speak now as he was technically a senior agent even though this man had been in the business for twenty years now.

"From the looks of things this is just an boring opp. Go to the Arctic, find out what the guys drilled through and bring it home." The man nodded at him and sat down, strapping himself in.

Ethan took the pilots chair as he didn't trust anyone else to fly him around and they were in the air in twenty seconds. The journey would be short but Ethan was surprised at how good company Buster was. He made good conversation the whole way though his belief that the Glock was too unwieldy and you needed something subtler was just wrong.

Ethan saw his landing circle down below him as he circle the Arctic base camp by looking at a ring of red lights. He parked down carefully and got off the ramp. He had put on his cold weather uniform mid flight.

The ground staff were surprised to see such a young boy get of the jet and immediately looked over at the large agent that followed him off the jet. These were SHIELD agents but he supposed that his antics couldn't have spread through the whole organisation yet.

"We've secured the site but it's gonna take a while to excavate. A Russian oil team found it eighteen hours ago and called it in." He was looking at Agent Buster but it was Ethan who replied.

"How come it wasn't found sooner?" He felt a twinge of annoyance at being assumed that he was a lower agent.

The man seemed to cotton on and addressed him now. "The ice shelf moves you see, the whole landscape could have change in the last few months."

"Well let's hook up a crane and pull it out." They were walking up a small ridge now.

"Not sir, you don't understand. You would need one hell of a crane." As they reached the crest of the hill Ethan saw a huge outline of red lights marking a path through the snow. Whatever the team had found it was huge and buried deep in the snow.

It didn't take long for them to drill a hole through the ice but when Buster started suggesting Radiation suites Ethan just fired the grapple hook from his watch and dropped down inside. It was a large cavernous space with what looked like metal beams running from floor to ceiling. Ethan shone his light around looking onto the corners. He couldn't quite decide what it was.

Buster had also dropped into the cavern behind him and was looking around.

"What do you think it is?" His deep voice sounded quiet in the deep tunnel.

"I've got no idea." Ethan walked forward to a small out crop but almost stumbled on a patch of ice. He knelt down and wiped away the layer of snow covering the ice. He saw a glint of red and silver through the ice and gasped.

He stood up and fumbled for his communicator, keying in a number.

"Agent Hill, what is it Jacobs?" She knew who was calling them, maybe caller ID?

"I need Fury on the line now, you are never going to guess what we've found, Coulson is gonna freak when he hears."

As Hill was transferring him over to Fury's office, Ethan knelt down and started to wipe away more of the snow, looking closer at the disk in the ice. Even he knew what it was, envy where had heard the stories and he was closer than most people to the myth being an attempt to recreate it.

The star starred back at him as be heard Fury's voice. "What is it? What have you found."

"You are never going to believe this sir, but I think I'm standing in the Valkyrie. Sir, it's Captain America's ship. The one he crashed to stop HYDRA from destroying the planet." He could barely contain the excitement in his voice.

"How do you know?" He couldn't glean any emotion from Fury.

"Well his shield is right here, hang on a second." Ethan pulled out his gun and shot the ice infront of him. The bullet went deep into the ice causing it to splinter and crack. Ethan heard a pinging sound as his bullet proved that the shield was real.

"What the the hell!?" Buster had spun around, Ethan had forgotten to warn him about firing a shot. Ethan pulled the disk out of the ice. It wasn't heavy but it defiantly felt strong. He pulled his arms through the straps and held onto it.

He unmuted himself on his call to Fury. "Yessir this is definitely his shield. I don't know if he is here though, no one could have survived that crash."

"Try and find him Agent, I'm sending all reserve teams to secure the area and transport the ship back to base. Keep me informed Jacobs."

The line went dead and Ethan clipped his communicator back to his belt. He looked around, looking intently into the outcropping of ice that he had initially gone to see.

Buster almost managed to conceal his excitement. "Oh every one is gonna be so jealous that we were the ones to find this."

"Calm it down Buster, we haven't found him yet." Buster stood up straighter and brushed himself down. Ethan swore he could see the big man blushing a bit.

Ethan was standing over a large spike of ice. He held his hands infront of him when standing just to the side of the spike. If he was right than this was the pilots chair, it was in a perfect place to look out the windows that must have broken infront of it. Ethan could see small shards of glass in the ice.

He rubbed of the snow and saw deep in the block of ice a gloved hand. He recoiled a bit, shocked at what he saw but immediately pulled out his communicator and texted Fury.

Found him.

Less than an hour later they were back on the jet. A large block of ice was sitting on a central table. Ethan was sitting at one end and there were a few techies down each side. They had managed to get an outline of the body in the ice and had cut him out and were going to try to defrost him back him back home.

"What a way to go though, crashing into the ice and saving the planet can't ask for more than that really."

"Well ya know he had someone, she musta spent her whole life waiting for him,"

One of the techies was using some imaging technology to look into the body. "What I don't understand is how his body stayed together, there isn't a broken bone in here and... HOLY CRAP! Sir you will want to look at this."

Ethan strode around the body, the imagine camera was pointed at his heart. Ethan wasn't sure what to look for but he then saw the heart pulse. He looked up at the techie but the man just nodded. The machine wasn't malfunctioning.

"How's that possible, this guys still alive."

Thy landed back at SHIELD and a medical team ran up the ramp and pulled the trolley with Captain Rogers frozen on it.

He heard Coulson outside yelling at them to get him deforested. Ethan followed the medical team down the ramp at a slower pace, carrying the shield with him. He smiled at Coulson who handed a cup of coffee to him.

"What is it about you? We send you on a boring mission to the Arctic and you find a national treasure." Coulson was smiling down at him before turning away and walked to the elevator with Ethan followed him.

They arrived up on the hospital wing that was hidden inside the building. Ethan and Coulson found that they could look through a two way mirror into a room where five people were spreading heaters around the ice block. They also had hand held heaters which they were waving over the body and slowly water started dripping of the table.

A hand was the first thing to emerge and then the legs were freed. It wouldn't take long for the ice to be gone. Ethan and Coulson waited in their room for about thirty minutes before Fury came in.

"Coulson I know you want to be a part of this but I need you back in Santa Fe." Coulson looked crushed but he knew better than to argue with Fury who turned to Ethan. "You however Jacobs, have got nothing better to do so this is your new assignment. Your job is to wake the Captain up and then to watch him after that. He's been asleep for a damn long time and it's gonna be hard for him but I think we can turn him into an asset."

That was Fury, handed a war hero who had miraculously survived crashing into an ice shelf and Fury was already wanting to turn him into a weapon. Ethan rolled his eyes at Fury but was just met by the signature death stare. "Jacobs, just break it to him slowly."

The two men left the room and Ethan pressed a button that let him talk into the room next door. "How long do we have before he will wake up?" The doctor in the next room just shrugged so Ethan turned around and pulled out his communicator.

He gave orders quickly through it. Fury had assigned him a team that he was now assembling in a control room ASAP. He was close to running over there and when he got in he found almost twenty people waiting inside.

He started talking as soon as he got in. "Ok, first of I'm going to tell you that this obviously doesn't leave this room to anyone else." He looked around to see general nods. "We found something under the ice in the arctic. The Valkyrie, then ship Captain Rogers, better know as Captain America crashed into the water. We found the body of Captain Rogers inside and ascertained that he had survived the crash and the cryofreeze his body had undertaken." Murmuring broke out as the whole team started talking, shocked at what they had heard.

"Hey" Ethan shouted over the crowd. "He is back at SHIELD HQ and I'm giving us three hours to prepare. We are going to make a 1945 hospital room that he will wake up in. Bed, Windows and radio. Everything."

He looked across to a group of techies. "You lot are in charge of building the room. Find sheets and clothes from old S.S.R stocks." The group rushed off. He pointed at a small group of burley agents. "You lot will be running security, if he gets upset we need him contained."

He finally looked at the only woman in the room. She was young and attractive, with curly black hair. "You are going to be the secretary or something that goes into his room. You need to find a uniform and just be ready to talk to him to say you want him to meet something, OK?" She nodded up at him.

"Any questions?" He knew he had perfected the voice that meant he didn't want any questions but still asked anyway. No one said anything, "well get to work then."

They all scrambled to race away to their various positions and in just over two hours a small room was ready that was in the centre of a larger one. It had screens infront of fake windows that would make it look like the person inside was in central New York, and speakers were added to complete the effect.

Captain Rogers and been transferred inside and Ethan was looking into the small room, through a screen that was on the wall outside of the box that showed the feed from a small camera inside the room. He saw Captain Rogers eyes flitter open and signalled for the girl who he learned was called Sarah to go inside. He listened in through the door.

Rogers had sat up and was looking at the radio when Sarah walked in.

She spoke first, "Good morning, or should I say afternoon."

"Where am I." He had a deep voice, smooth and soft though with a hint of nervousness.

"You are in a recovery room in New York City." Her eyes had widened a bit, she hadn't expected him to be hostile. His eyes flitted around before coming back to rest on her.

"Where am I really." Ethan's stomach dropped, he had worked it out, but how?

Sarah sounded slightly panicked now, "I'm afraid I don't understand." Ethan had to get her out of there, she was going to blow it.

"The game, it's from May 1941. I know, I was there." He stood up and walked closer to Sarah. "Now I'm going to ask you one last time, where am I." Fucking hell Ethan was going to castrate whoever fucked this up. He signalled for the two man team to go in. Rogers needs to calm down soon before he hurt himself.

Ethan was a little surprised by what happened next. It took less than three seconds for Rogers to throw both of them through the wall and jump outside the room. Ethan heard Sarah call after Rogers before Rogers started running. "Please stop, you have to under-" Captain America had already made it to the door.

Ethan pulled off his headset and started running after Rogers. He pulled out his communicator and yelled into it, "we have a code 13, apprehend Captain Rogers."

It was harder said then done though as Rogers ran faster than the devil and Ethan was having trouble keeping pace. The other agents had no chance but he knew that they would follow in cars. Rogers jumped out a window and made it to the street. Ethan needed to stop him fast, he was going to have a breakdown soon.

He jumped out the same window and started running after the captain. He felt like he was running faster than he ever had, faster than most sprinters but he still could barely gain on Rogers. He was chasing the big man down the centre of the road as they entered Times Square. Rogers stopped and turned to face Ethan who tried to break but still almost collided with Steve. Almost because Rogers grabbed him at the last second and threw him over his head, using Ethan's motion against him.

Ethan almost felt like he was flying, Rogers had thrown him twenty meters but he still managed to land on his feet, skidding backwards. He felt himself instinctively reaching for his staff but he stopped himself and held up his hands. Cars had circled Rogers and he looked panicked.

Ethan took a hunch and called out, "Stand down soldier." Rogers immediately slackened and tuned to face Ethan. "We wanted to break this easily to you captain, but that's not the point now."

"What is the point then?" He sounded incredibly confused and Ethan could still see him searching for a way out between the cars.

"You've been asleep for a long time Cap, almost seventy years." Ethan tried not to have to much pity in his voice but he couldn't keep it out of his voice. "you gonna be ok?"

The captain looked around, down the street and up at the billboards. "Yeah, it's just that I had a date."


	16. Chapter 16

Ethan sent the Agents back to base, they didn't need to cause a scene. Ethan took Rogers to his favourite coffee shop. The barista smiled at him and got his order ready. Rogers took his big coffee and sat down at the table Ethan had pointed out. They were next to a big window that looked out onto the street. Rogers hadn't said anything since Times Square.

"So I guess you have some questions then? Fire away" Ethan put on his warmest smile. He needed Rogers to open up to him.

"What's your name kid?" Ethan grimaced at him.

"Trust me, I'm not a kid. Call me Ethan. My full name is Ethan Jacobs. Can I call you Steve?" Steve nodded at him. "I work for an organisation called SHIELD. It's a global unit made for one purpose, to keep the peace. Anywhere and everywhere. It actually grew out of your unit, the SSR."

Steve nodded at this, "and Pegg, I mean, Peggy Carter, is she?" His voice trailed off.

"Agent Carter. She is still alive and living in London. She was one of the founding members of SHIELD." He hoped that the news that's she was on their side would help though the information surrounding their relationship was scarce. "I can set up contact if you would like?"

"No it's been to long, but it feels like she kissed me an hour ago." His eyes widened for a second, "I mean, don't think wrong of her."

Ethan laughed when he realised what Steve was saying. "Ha, no don't worry, the world has changed a lot since you went under. Relationships chief amongst them."

He nodded at this and took a sip of his coffee, again looking out the window. "Did we win?"

"Yes we did, the whole war was over by the end of 1945, you won it for us. You know that right? People nowadays, they see you as something more than human. You were a superhero." Big blue eyes stared at him from across the table.

"They... You mean I'm some sorta hero? That doesn't feel right to me."

"Don't underestimate yourself, the serum they used on you has been attempt to be recreated many times, though mostly unsuccessfully." Ethan thought about the Harlem incident.

"Well I thought that we were fighting to make it so the world didn't need people to fight anymore." He looked annoyed, maybe realising that his idea about the future hadn't come true.

"After the war ended, our side split Germany in half and a massive amount of tension between the east which was communist and the west which was capitalist caused the next fifty years to be full of fear that the other side would invade. We did what you would expect, we built weapons. Bombs that can level cities and then countries, guns that can fire for miles and of course, super soldiers where a top priority. SHIELD was born out of that, we were always there to try and stop war." Ethan hoped he sounded honest in his recap of the last fifty years.

"That's disappointing to hear, I always thought that it was the war to end war. That after it was over we could just go home." He looked sad now.

"Talking about home, I was told that your apartment should be ready for you now." Ethan knew that SHIELD must just have a few ready around the place. He had picked one that was just around the corner from his apartment.

They left the coffee house, and stood on the sidewalk. "It's funny, there are still all the same sounds. The taxis honking, the people streaming past."

"Somethings never change I suppose, especially hailing a cab." Ethan finally managed to get one to pull over and they got in, Ethan giving the address of Steve's new home. They arrived at the block and Ethan found the door to his apartment open. It had a nice entry way with some shelfs that you could see through to a kitchen and eating area and a lounge was done the hall.

The place was almost fully furnished and Ethan was glad to see that someone had brought the shield to his place. It was waiting for them just inside the door, propped against some shelves.

Ethan picked it up and passed it to Steve who looked at it closely. "What happened on the plane, I found that in the ice on the other side of the plane to you."

"You found it?" He looked surprised at Ethan

"Oh yeah, I was the one in the Arctic who first saw you. I had just came of injury leave and had what was meant to be an easy mission to ease me back in and yet I found you."

Steve actually laughed at that, Ethan was glad to hear that he could actually laugh. "Bet that was a shock."

"Sure was, my handler almost jumped with joy, he's a big fan." Steve laughed again and started to look around the apartment.

"There is so much you have around here that I just don't know what it is. Like what is that?" He was pointing at the TV on the wall.

"You must have had TV back then." Ethan laughed a little daunted by how big his job was becoming.

"We did but they sure didn't look like that, how is it so thin?" He looked amazed at it.

"I don't even know to be honest."

Steve was looking around the apartment, he was especially confused by the microwave.

They ended up having an fun afternoon with Ethan showing Steve the basics of the phone and laptop that had been left for him. He finally started to get the hang of it after three or four hours by which time it was late evening and they were ready to go out and get some dinner.

Ethan texted Amy and was glad that she could meet her out. Ethan was glad she could be there, he didn't quite yet feel safe around Steve and wanted a calming presence nearby. They decided to get pizza and waited outside the restaurant for Amy. Ethan saw her walking down the street towards them.

"So is this girl your...?" Ethan didn't answer him as he rushed forward and kissed Amy. After about five second they broke apart and linked hands. "Oh, ummmm."

Steve looked embarrassed now. "Oh sorry that was rude of us, I'm Amy. I work at SHIELD too."

Steve still looked awkward but Ethan just laughed, "I did tell you that relationships have changed in the last 70 years."

Now it was Amy's turn to be confused now. "Oh yeah, sorry Amy. This is Captain Steve Rogers. Steve this is Amy Waters."

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." He held out his hand for her to shake which she took.

"Oh, how polite, you could teach most men a lesson or two. It's funny, you almost remind me. Wait," she turned to Ethan. "He isn't, no that's not possible."

Ethan laughed and leaned in to whisper to her. "Remember when I said I was going to the Arctic, well this is what I found."

"This better not be some trick Ethan." She turned to Steve, "are you really... I mean, are you actually. Well Captain America?"

Steve looked strangely used to this attention. "Yes ma'am."

"Ohmygod, this is so awesome. I mean you are a hero and this is so cool and-" Ethan coughed and Amy started. "No of course, be professional. It's good to meet you Captain Rogers."

"Steve please, it's also a pleasure to make your acquaintance to ma'am."

"Oh please stop with that ma'am business, my name is Amy. Anyway, I'm staving so let's go eat." She turned to open the door and walked inside the restaurant.

Ethan turned to Steve as they walked in behind Amy, "I told you. Your a hero."

They sat down inside and Ethan and Amy sat opposite Steve in a booth. After they ordered, Steve just went for pepperoni because he wanted what already knew, their conversation turned to work.

"So what do you do for SHIELD Ethan?" Steve sounded polite but Ethan knew that he wanted to know whether he could trust him.

As Ethan was winding the same thing he decided to answer truthfully. "Anything they want me to do really, if you get what I mean. Though I've only been an agent for a month and a half."

"And what, it's ok for us to send sixteen year olds to fight now?" He sounded worried about what world he had woken up in.

Ethan laughed again but felt Amy's hand clench his under the table, she had known what he was feeling, unease at talking about his past. "I was, special circumstances. I well."

Amy cut across him, "are you sure you are ok to talk about this. I mean after Russia I understand if it would be-"

Ethan the pen cut her off, "no he needs to know." Amy only nodded at him. "I, well I grew up in Russia. I was born in St Petersburg. God it must have been called Leningrad back then. My mother died when I was born and my father was killed so I could be recruited into a soviet research program. It was an attempt to recreate you. After your doctor was killed, no one could recreate the serum but they attempted with me. It was, well it wasn't pleasant what they did but it worked. I'm stronger and faster then normal people."

"Don't forget smarter, he's basically a genius." Amy added in quickly

"Yeah that to. So yeah, they took me and trained me to kill and I got on SHIELD's radar and they brought me in and recruited me. So here I am."

Steve had a slightly furrowed brow as he looked across at him. "I wanted to make a better world, but I just made it worse."

Ethan was about to shut him down but Amy got there first. "You don't know how much good you did, the world would be far worse without you and Ethan is one of the good guys now. Without you he would never have been that."

Ethan didn't feel that was right, after Russia he just felt like he was evil inside.

"I hope that's true Miss Waters." Ethan felt empathy for Steve. The man had been blasted out of time to land in a strange new world and had to adapt to survive.

they payed the cheque and parted ways for the night with the promise to spend the next day sight seeing around New York to get Steve back up to speed with the city.

The next day they visited all the favourite places. Steve said most hadn't changed, it was just what you saw from them had. Apparently Brooklyn had gotten a bit more expensive in the last seventy years. Also people had started building what Steve called "ugly great towers with their name on." Ethan realised he meant Stark tower.

"Oh Tony's not so bad, a bit of a dick but you learn to get along." Steve looked surprised that he knew Stark.

"I knew his father or maybe grandfather. Howard Stark, if they are anything alike then I think I will be better off not knowing him."

Ethan hoped that Steve was getting more in touch with modern times but knew it was something that he had to do at his own pace and he couldn't be pressured to be faster otherwise he would close himself off.

Ethan had messaged Coulson aswell for his little idea which needed some design input and Coulson was only to happy to help seeing as he was stuck in Santa Fe. Ethan still hadn't managed to weasel out of him what he was doing there as it was one of the only SHIELD projects that he didn't have clearance for.

On the beginning of the third day, Ethan and Steve decided to go for a run. It felt odd having someone who could keep pace with him even though they were running faster then all the people around them. Ethan started to enjoy it and it quickly became a race with the two of them pretty much neck and neck through Central Park. They finally called it a tie because they had reached SHIELD HQ and had to stop.

They went inside to find the gym, Ethan at least didn't get any stares as they walked through the building as they were all thrown at Steve now. "It feels good to not have them stare at me."

"I don't know, it doesn't feel so great for me. Why were they staring at you?"

"Oh I stopped a little alien invasion in New Mexico, nothing much really." Steve laughed, unsure whether he was telling the truth. They finally found the gym and Steve and Ethan started to work out.

They spent most of their morning putting the gym equiptment through its paces before finally deciding to have a sparring match. They had amassed a small crowd and Ethan could see money changing hands as bets were placed.

Ethan clicked his fingers loudly, "now don't feel bad when you lose, you are getting on a bit now." There were loud ooooooo's from the crowd.

"I wouldn't count me out yet kiddo, I won't be going easy on you." The crowd could feel the tension rising and Ethan realised that now was as good a time as ever and pushed his foot forward, throwing a quick punch into Steve's gut but he managed to block it.

Steve reversed the punch and pulled Ethan towards him, sweeping Ethan's legs out at the same time but Ethan just fell on his hands and did a flip to kick Steve from behind and Steve stumbled slightly and Ethan used this to his advantage kicked Steve behind his knees causing him to go down on one knee.

Ethan heard a grunt from Steve which made him feel glad that he had managed to fight him to a standstill. He knew that Steve could probably destroy any other person in the room. He didn't count Steve out though as the huge man was already back on his feet.

"You can't keep me down that easy." He leaped forward and double kicked Ethan in the chest. Ethan felt himself flying backwards, his chest felt incredibly painful and for the first time he realised how strong Steve really was as he had been thrown across the room and he had still felt Steve pull his kick slightly. Steve could probably rip him in half if he wanted to.

Ethan wasn't going to lose this fight though and got back up even though his body told him to sit out of this fight. He got back up and ran at Steve. He stood ready to catch him in a lock but at the last second Ethan dropped base ball style and slid beneath him before pushing his feet on the floor, skidding to a stop just behind Steve before punching his in the back of the thigh causing him to grunt again and then Ethan jumped up and spun in the air to land in a handstand on Steve's shoulders. His momentum carried him around and as he fell in front of Steve he locked his hands around the back on his head and slammed his knee into his jaw making a sickening crunch.

Ethan landed in a crouch ready to spring back if needed Steve just stood up and held out a hand to him. Ethan took it and Steve pulled him up as he said "That was a good fight. Thanks, I needed something to take my mind of of things."

Ethan heard a voice from the crowd. Fury stepped forward, "Yes it was, it's good to see you out Cap. I will se you in my office in five, bring Jacobs with you if he can still walk." That got a laugh from the crowd which had started to disperse.

Ethan rubbed his chest as he followed Steve to the elevator.

"You sure you don't want to go down to medical?" Steve sounded concerned

"Nah, I'm fine and I don't want to face the wrath of Dr Hope over a little bruise" in fairness he would have a wicked bruise. Steve could kick harder than anything.

They got out of the elevator. "What should I be expecting in there?" Ethan could tell that Steve wasn't ready to join SHIELD yet and was fully expecting Fury to try and recruit him.

"You should be ready for Fury to ask you to get back out there. He wants you with us but I understand that you probably aren't ready yet" Ethan felt Stevens big blue eyes searching his emerald ones

Steve grimace told Ethan all he needed to know. They walked into Fury's office and stood in front of his desk where was sitting and looking at some files. He motioned for the two of them to sit down and they sat in the two chairs opposite the desk.

"Well Captain Rogers, you seem to have gotten back on track after being on ice. I didn't expect Jacobs to let you stay away for long."

"With respect sir, Steve has only been out of the ice for a few days now. It's to early to send him on a mission." Fury stared at Ethan. Ethan felt intimidated but he was not going to back down against Fury, he felt like he had to protect Steve even though they had only been friends for a short time. Wait friends, is that what they were? Could Ethan really include Steve amongst that list that he kept close to his heart.

He looked at Steve's blue eyes and saw relief in them and Ethan knew he could. He was ready to protect Steve to his last breath. But then of course Fury played his cards.

"Well it's good to see that this mission is for you then Ethan, after your assassination of the Mistress of the Red Room and with some good work from Agent Romanov, I've uncovered some leads on the doctor who performed the experiments on you and I'm sending you to chase him down. I had believed that Captain Rogers could assist you." Ethan could swear he could see the bastard's lips curl at the corners.


	17. Chapter 17

Ethan had stiffened and was glaring at Fury. Ethan stood up and put his hands on the desk, leaning into Fury. "Where." He felt anger course through him. Fury had manipulated him by giving him a mission he couldn't not accept. He felt a need inside him to track down the Doctor who had messed him up. After Russia he hoped that he could lay his past to rest but with Fury dangling revenge infront of him he had to jump.

"So I take it you accept this mission then?" Fury said patronisingly with sarcasm dripping from his voice. Ethan tensed again, ready to hit the director but he felt Steve's hand on his shoulder and he was pulled away from the desk.

"Give me the file, we will deal with it." Steve sounded cold and Fury handed him the file. Both of them left the room quickly but Steve pulled him aside in the corridor and pushed him against the wall and stood close to him. "Tell me right now that this isn't a revenge mission." He sounded angry now.

"I can't." Ethan was shivering, little bolts of electricity flowing along his bones.

"What happened in Russia then because if you don't tell me Ethan I swear that I will tear this file apart." Ethan felt broken, his body relaxed against the wall. Steve had broken his anger and he knew he had to tell him the truth.

"They took Amy, Nat and I. We got her back. I found the bitch that trained me and she activated me, I was just a sleeper agent. I almost killed Nat before Amy broke me out of it and I killed her." His voice was rising again. He had to end this all, he had to kill the doctor and if Steve stood in his way then he wouldn't stop himself from hurting him. He had just felt evil inside since Russia, like he was corrupt and he had to destroy everyone because of it.

Steve put his hands on Ethan's shoulders and spoke softly now. "Ethan you have to listen to me, you are better than the, I've seen it in you. You are not just some evil person. We are going to go find this doctor and then we are going to bring him in and then he will face punishment for what he did. Got that. I've seen what war does to people. People who come home so shell shocked that they jump at every noise."

"You have no idea, what it was like to be in your head but not control your body. I felt myself, my muscles tense and almost draw a knife along Nat's throat. I can't trust myself so why the hell should I try and bring in a murderer and torturer in alive?"

"Because you have to trust me Ethan. We are soldiers-"

Ethan was yelling now, "I am not a soldier. I am a weapon. Designed to be pointed at an enemy and then that enemy is killed. A gun, a knife or a missile. That's what I am"

Steve pulled him back and threw him down the corridor. "Then go, hunt down your man and then kill him. It won't help you. You will feel the same, and you will realise that maybe you are a monster. But if you realised who you are Ethan than maybe there is some hope left. You aren't a weapon. No you are someone good and the sooner you stop playing around in this fantasy you created where you are some villain the better we will all be."

Ethan roared and leaped forward, punching Steve with his full force causing Steve's head to whip around with a nasty crunch. Steve just turned to face Ethan who was hunched over with his arm hanging loose. "I am not some hero, not like Captain America. I am an assassin and it's time for me to do my job." Ethan barely finished his sentence before Steve hit him in the face.

It felt like he was hit by a wrecking ball, he felt his jaw dislocate and make a nasty grinding sound. He fell to the ground clutching his face. Steve knelt over him and he grabbed his jaw causing a bolt of pain to course through him but Steve pushed the jutting bone hard and it snapped back into place. He let Ethan's face go but grabbed him and pulled him up.

"Listen to me, very carefully now. There are people in this world in this world who love you. Amy loves you. Client and Nat love you from the way you talk about them. You are like a little brother to them and hell, you are like the little brother I never had. Ethan you are the only person who has been there for me since I came out of the ice and I'm not just about to give up on you. So damm it man, you are gonna start believing that there is more to this world than your need for revenge."

Ethan felt his insides break, he let tears stream down his face. Maybe Steve was right. Maybe he could believe that he can help people but for now he was going to find the doctor and he was going to get some answers about who had made him.

Steve looked him in the eyes. "Are you still gonna kill him or are we gonna bring him in." Ethan wiped the tears away from his eyes.

Ethan turned away from Steve and started walking to the end of the corridor. "I can't guarantee I won't kill him but I will tell you that you will want your shield if you are coming with me." He heard Steve sigh behind him as he got in the elevator.

Once the doors closed he leaned heavily against the wall. He felt bad after his fight with Steve, not only his jaw hurt but he felt like he had just become conflicted inside at the beginning of a mission where he would need to focus. He decided to leave any self reflection till later, once he had Amy to talk to. He felt he would need her more then than he ever had before.

He made his way down to the weapon labs where he picked up his staff. He had been working on some upgrades, to make it a bit lighter and better to swing around. He had also been working on a new combat vest which he changed into now. The new one had the staff holster built into it on the back running diagonally across his back with the top poking above his shoulder where he would grab it from and a big holster for Nat's knife horizontally across the small of his back. The whole vest was form fitting and left his arms bare because he needed full manoeuvrability to work with his staff.

He also changed into his combat trousers and thick boots. The trousers had his Glock holster on them and the boots had excellent grip that would allow him to run at his max speed. Finally he put up the hood that he had included in the suit.

Finding his weapons locker he grabbed his staff, knife and his new project. Putting everything in its correct holster he strapped his watch onto his right wrist and strapped his new project around his left wrist where it secured itself around his hand, knowing that his watch would also extend when needed.

He grabbed another suit of combat gear that was in a large size and made his way up to the hanger deck where he got on the first Quinjet and started preflight checks whilst sending a message to Steve to meet him in the jet.

He didn't have to wait long for Steve to arrive, he was wearing his usual jeans and hoodie but had his shield strapped across his arm.

"Bet the taxi thought it was weird for you to have that." Ethan tried to sound happy whilst he prepped the jet for launch, "there's some gear for you back there. Give me the file and we can get on our way." Steve grabbed his gear and started changing. Once he was ready he handed the file to Ethan.

Ethan looked through the first pages and then looked up at Steve. "Seriously?"

They hadn't spoken much in the one and a half hour flight, Steve had just sat quietly in the back. Ethan thought that he was preparing himself for having to go back into a fight. Maybe he was just praying. He stood up though as Ethan put down the jet.

They had put down at Charles de Gaulle airport on the outskirts of Paris. SHIELD kept a few cars around here and Ethan quickly found one and unlocked it. He had left the jet with the local SHIELD ground team. Steve got in the passenger door on the Peugeot and the moment they were both inside Ethan took off, speeding towards the city.

It was Steve who broke the silence, "we need to find out what we are doing. Fury's Intel shows we need to find a man called Charles Beaux who will be in a bar near the Tuileries in central Paris this evening. Supposedly he was the man who was incharge of procuring new equiptment for the Doctors experiments and he will know where his lab is."

Ethan just sped up as it was already dark in France. Once they entered the city Ethan navigated through the traffic quickly and efficiently, almost crashing several times but just avoiding the other cars. They soon found the bar and Ethan parked their car in a side ally. He opened the glove box to find an Interpol ID card and put it into a little card reader that was also in the glove box. It had a little screen on it where Ethan entered a fake name and date of birth. He had made himself twenty even though he barely looked sixteen. It wasn't necessary for people to know SHIELD was poking around, let alone let people know they existed as most people thought that they were just a government joke.

Ethan pulled the card out and was pleased to see a full ID card. He also made one for Steve before handing it to him and getting out of the car. Steve put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "Ethan you haven't spoke to since New York, you can't shut me out right now. We need to trust eachother. What are you planning on doing in there?"

Ethan looked at him. "I'm going in there and I'm going to find Charles and then im gonna leave with him and find out where the secret lab is." His heard his voice come out harsh and cracked.

Steve let go of him, "fine, just don't kill him ok." Ethan smirked and walked over to the Main Street.

The bar was just a block down and Ethan crossed the road before peering in. The bar was called La Palace de la Mer. He was glad for the intensive language training he had leaving fluent in French as it would be helpful if he needed to interrogate Charles.

He pushed open the door and walked in with Steve standing close behind him. The bar was full of people and there was loud shouting and yelling at a TV which showed a Soccer match. Ethan looked around and spyed a man sitting alone in a booth. Ethan knew he was his target as he looked up and his eyes seemed to explode of out his head when he saw Ethan. The man who had to be Charles got up from his table but Ethan quick walked over to him and pushed him back down into his seat.

"Hey, no underages in here. You have to leave." The bar tender was yelling at him in French but Steve walked over to him and started speaking quietly in French to the man and he showed him the fake ID. The bartender nodded and looked scared. It couldn't be good if Interpol was sniffing around but the man just looked down at his glasses and started wiping them with the cloth that was around his shoulders. Steve came back and sat next to Ethan in the booth.

"So Charles, about to pop a cyanide pill?" Ethan's voice was almost patronising and his French was perfect with a local accent to boot. Charles' eyes almost looked like bursting and he was clearly terrified. "Or are you to scared to do it?" The man hesitated for a second but then just deflated before reaching into his mouth and pulled lose a tooth, laying it on the table. Ethan brought a fist down on it and it cracked.

"You know, I guesses that you would be to scared to do it. I read all about you. Started off a banker before going into the buying/selling market. Biggest black market dealer in France. No one can pin a thing to you." The man let out a weak grin. He thought that he was safe, that he wasn't about to be arrested. "But you know who I am don't you. And you know that I won't hesitate to kill you." The man tensed again, his eyes growing fearful. He slowly nodded.

"Do you know where the lab that you procured equipment for is?" The man nodded again. "Good"

Steve and Ethan got up and Ethan pulled Charles up from his seat. Steve through down a few euros that had been in the car on the table. Ethan pushed Charles' wrist behind his back and pushed him out of the bar. They had a lot of of odd looks from the patrons but Ethan just ignored them as he made his way out onto the street with Charles infront of him.

He wished that he had let Steve go first though as out of nowhere a shot was fired and a high impact slug exploded through Charles head. Ethan and Steve ducked behind a car. Ethan looked up over the bonnet and saw a big SUV accelerating down the road. Ethan vaulted the bonnet and pulled a small disk from his watch and threw it at the car. He saw it stick to the side as the small magnet on the back pulled it onto the back.

Ethan ducked down again as a few more shots were fired at him. He heard them, whizz over his head before the finally one pinged of Steve's shield. He was crouching next to him with his shield infront of them both. Ethan felt his right arm stinging and saw that one of the bullets had grazed him. Steve pulled him back and they both ran back to the car.

Ethan jumped in a back seat and Steve threw him a medpack that was in the glovebox and pulled out a bandage from it and wrapped his arm up. The bullet had only cut very shallowly and it was just his upper arm that needed a quick wrap up.

He pulled out his communicator from his belt and quickly tapped it. He pulled up an app that was tracking the small disk he had thrown on the car and sent the map to Steve's screen just infront of the wheel. Steve started driving.

"What do you wanna do, they know we are here now and that we are coming for them. They will start packing up straight away." Steve was speaking fast as he pulled the car through the busy streets.

"Then we have to go now, before they have a chance to move." Ethan looked down at the communicator which had bleeped. "They've stopped moving, it looks like, no it can't be. They have a base under the Louvre, well I suppose no one would expect it." Ethan was quickly pulling up the floor plan of the museum. He scanned through the plans, fast, looking for anything out of place. "There, under the pyramid there is a door near the entrance that has nothing behind it. That has to be an entrance."

Steve was pulling onto the street outside the Louvre now but he had to stop as there was gridlocked streets. The two of them jumped out and ran onto the concourse with the pyramid glowing nearby. There were hundreds of people around them, all milling around looking at the structure but Steve and Ethan were running through the crowd, pushing and shoving people out of their way. People were yelling at them as they pushed past and a guard tried to stop them at the door. He was french police, here to control the crowd.

"Excuse me but you have to wait." He sounded officious and Ethan was already annoyed with him.

He pulled out his fake badge and started speaking in rapid French. "Listen to me, your job is now to call in all backup and evacuate the museum. Get the crowds back at least fifty feet from the concourse and museum and then set up a perimeter. Don't let anyone through and don't send in any SWAT team." The man just stood and stared at him. " don't you understand me, get to it." The man juddered awake and pulled out his radio relaying Ethan's commands.

In the mean time Ethan and Steve had run down the stairs. It was just standing in the open, next to a reception and there was a small keypad next to it. Ethan used his watch which scanned the keypad and gave him the combination.

The door clicked open and Steve and Ethan stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Inside there was a brightly lit staircase which went down what looked like ten or fifteen floors. Both of them started running down the stairs. Ethan managed to speak through the wind rushing past them, "this place and its disabled access, not very considerate." With that he vault the last few floors and fell down a few stories.

He landed on his feet and took of running again. There was a long corridor that had doors off shooting from it. He read the name plates on them as he ran past. Store room, Weapon locker, Barracks. He smirked inwardly, there was going to be a fight and soon. He heard Steve running behind him as he reached the end of the corridor where there was a large black imposing door.

Ethan stood by the door and looked at Steve, "You ready?" Steve nodded and Ethan pressed the button by the side of the door and it slid open and the two of them slid inside.

They were inside a huge lab, Ethan looked around and saw benches and stations set up with differently coloured liquids bubbling on them. He walked forward and saw some large cylindrical tanks and the back of the room. Suddenly he noticed a man with his back turned to him who was tapping into a computer that was connected to a chair.

Sitting in the chair was him. Steve yelled out at the man, "Don't move! Turn around slowly."

The man turned around to face Ethan and Steve. He looked old, maybe in his mid sixties or early seventies. His hair was the colour of snow and he had a short beard. His face was round and he had a small build overall. He couldn't be much taller then Ethan. Ethan gasped as he saw his face, it couldn't be. The curve of his face that had smiled so often. The hair that Ethan had ran his hands through. The emerald eyes that he watched the life drain out of.

"No, it can't be. Dad, I watched you die."

"Mmmm, yes I suppose you did. Well it was a necessary ruse for the program to work." His father spoke in thick Russian. The same way he had spoken to Ethan when he had read him bed time stories when he was in bed as a little boy.

"What, what are you doing. You can't be him. You can't be the one who experimented on me." Ethan felt so confused, parts of him coursing with anger and other parts with hate.

"I can assure you that I was the one who perfected you."

Steve spoke next, "what are you saying?"

Ethan turned to him and said in English now, "Steve this man is my father."

"What! How? I thought you said your father was dead."

"Oh it was all part of the plan. We would take away everything in your life. Love, happiness and then your mind would snap under pain. We could make you our perfect weapon." His voice was cold.

"What are you saying, that you never loved me. That you were just moulding me for your work?" Ethan sounded distraught now. He couldn't comprehend what he was hearing.

"Oh no son, I can assure you that I did love you. I loved you so much that I made you stronger and better than everyone else." He looked down at the Ethan that was in the chair. "Though you failed me, our conditioning wasn't strong enough and you broke through. So I had to start again," he motioned to the Ethan in the chair, "only a clone, they always were my specialty, but he is much more obedient. He won't run off and join our enemies. I will admit I'm disappointed in you though I am willing to look past your failings if you just come and join me now."

Ethan stopped and reached over his shoulder, pulling his staff from across his shoulder. "How dare you. You turned me, your son, into a killing machine and all you can say is that I'm a failure. Well I can tell you that you are wrong. I'm something better than what you meant for me now." He extended the staff in his hand.

His father just sighed and looked down at the computer and entered a few more commands. "A pity then, I suppose you will have to be disposed of then."

Suddenly lights started to flash on the wall and guards ran in through a door on the other side of the lab. Other Ethan also swang his legs around and stood up. He was motionless until his father leant in close to his ear and whispered something. Fake Ethan immediately started running at Ethan.

Ethan pointed at the guards and yelled at Steve, "deal with them." Steve immediately started running at them. Ethan turned back and barely raised his staff in time to block an overhead strike from Fake Ethan. He was moving fast, even faster then Ethan could. Ethan blocked the punch and brought his staff up into the shin of the boy but he kicked out at the staff and pushed it back. Ethan spun with the momentum and brought the staff down on Fake Ethan's head but he managed to get his arm to block it.

He took the hit, his bones must have been reinforced as Ethan hit him with enough power to snap his arm in half. As he strained against Fake Ethan's arm he tried to speak. "You can fight him, break out of his control." Fake Ethan just met his words with a stare from his emerald eyes. There was nothing in those eyes. They were empty and void of life his father had take everything away from him and there would be no reasoning with him.

The boy smashed his palm into Ethan's gut and Ethan recoiled in pain. It hurt a lot but the boy didn't stop, kicking his hand causing his staff to go flying. Ethan punched out but the boy ducked and hit him again in the chest. Ethan spun and kicked his double in the thigh before punching in the face but the boy didn't even flinch. He just countered and punched Ethan in the jaw and he felt an even worse crunch then when Steve had done it earlier. He fell backwards and his vision blacked out for a second before coming back.

Fake Ethan was standing above him and he heard his father speaking. "once again a disappointment."

Ethan felt rage course through him and he flipped back up, kicking both his feet into Fake Ethan's chest which caused him to fly through the air. He scramble back to his feet to watch Fake Ethan land on his feet and skid a meter or two before starting to run back at him.

The real Ethan smirked at the small figure running at him. It was now or never and he flicked both his wrists and tensed his hands into fists. The small device he had strapped around his left arm and his watch on his right both whirred into motion and silver sheets expanded out and covers his hands. He was wearing two gauntlets that completely encompassed both hands as fists.

Fake Ethan leaped at him and was bringing his fist around to punch him in the face and Ethan brought his hand up and their two fists collided. Small noises whirred as miniature servos enhanced his strength and dispersed the energy from the fist. Popping and cracking noises rippled out from Fake Ethan's hand as it splintered and broke from the gauntlet.

Fake Ethan fell to the floor and clasped his mashed hand to his chest and whimpered. Ethan dropped to his knees next to him and pulled him close. He worked on instinct and hugged the Fake Ethan close, holding onto the boy who was trying to kill him. The boy just sagged and whimpered into him.

A shot was fired and Fake Ethan's head exploded. His body slumped to the ground as Ethan let him go. Ethan looked up and saw his father holding a gun, the barrel smoking. "Another failure. Useless, all useless." He dropped the gun.

Steve was suddenly behind him, the unconscious bodies of over a dozen men littered the floor behind him. Ethan stood up and pulled out his own gun, raising it to point at his father. "No, you are the failure." Ethan pulled the trigger and felt the gun jolt slightly. His father fell to his knees and then slumped over with a hole in forehead. Ethan just stood and stared at the body. It looked so similar to the scene that played in his mind.

He was three or four when men had burst into his house and shot his father and kidnapped him.


	18. Chapter 18

Steve put his hand on Ethan's shoulder but he suddenly looked up as alarms started blaring all around them and a the computer came to live with a countdown clock. It started counting down from two minutes. Steve pulled Ethan away and pulled him up.

"Come on Ethan, we've got to get out of here." Steve said with a slight hint of fear in his voice. Both of them got up, Ethan had a ghost stare and just felt empty inside. They started running up the stairs, their legs pounding against the concrete and they took three or four steps at a time. They made the pyramid before the explosion went off.

There was a huge rumbling noise and the floor shook. Both of them stumbled slightly before jumping up the stairs to the promenade. The floor was shaking as the lab collapsed and cracks ran along the floor. They started running to wards the crowds that were behind hastily erected barriers and loads of people were taking pictures of their flight. Sections of the floor were crumbling away, flailing into the lab bellow and Ethan heard a reaching sound as the metal that made the pyramid started to bend and fall into the floor.

Ethan was dodging the holes in the floor but the entire half of the promenade that they were on was turning, sliding into the pit. Ethan finally reached the edge of a large chunk of stone and took a running leap. Reaching out he managed to ledge of stone that was about ten feet above him. He felt a hand grab his arm and he was pulled up. Steve had grabbed him and he was looking at the crowds who were all staring at them. A few policemen were walking forward with their guns out. Ethan ignored them all and turned to see the huge crater that used to be half of the louvre. The pyramid was debris and both sides of the wings of the museum had collapsed leaving only the front section of the gallery. Sirens were blaring everywhere and police cars and ambulances were racing around the building.

Ethan stared down into the pit. His father had been down there. A father whom he thought had loved him, who had died years ago. His whole world was crumbling. Everything he thought he knew about his past was wrong and it was tearing him apart inside. He fell to his knees, looking down at the fires burning. Ethan clutched his head in his hands and screamed.

The whole crowd went silent as the heart reached noise emanated from Ethan. He put all his pain into the scream, all his hate and all of his anger. It was a terrible noise, instantly showing the emotion flowing through him.

He punched the ground and his hand went straight through. The gauntlet amplified his strength so much that he managed to create a hole in the concrete about a foot deep. Cracks flew out from it and the floor shook slightly.

Ethan heard screams from the crowd and he heard the police tense, their pistols cocking. One of them called out to Steve and Ethan. "Put down your weapons." Steve just held up a hand to stop the police approaching any closer. He knew how dangerous Ethan was right now, he could kill everyone within thirty meters if he wanted to. Steve knelt next to him and held onto his arm.

He leaned in close and spoke in English, "Ethan, listen to me Ethan. It's going to be ok. We've got to get out of here though, there are cameras everywhere and you're hood isn't going to keep them from seeing who you are." Ethan nodded slightly and stood up, raising his hands to the police. He reached above his head with his left hand and pressed a small button on his watch. It triggered the local EMP which caused sparks to fly from all the of the nearby lights and they sputtered off.

There was instant confusion in the dark as people started screaming and running. Steve grabbed Ethan and the two of them started running into the crowd. They had about two minutes before the lights came back on and they had to have gotten out of the area before then. Ethan flicked his wrists and his gauntlets sprang back in again, leaving a small bracelet on one arm and his watch on the other.

They pushed their way through the crowd and vaulted a fence to land back in the street. There were police everywhere. Ethan and Steve couldn't get passed them without being recognised and maybe shot. Ethan saw and exit though and ran across the road before vaulting off a car and grabbed onto the railings of a balcony. He then pulled himself up and jumped across to the next balcony along and one up. Soon they were on the roof and running along it, jumping form one roof to the next until they made it about ten blocks from the louvre where they jumped back down to street and started walking away.

They had to make it back to the airport where they had left their jet but their car was currently surrounded by police. Steve followed Ethan onto a small side street with a beat up Fiat parked in it. Ethan looked through the weekend before smashing the window.

"Hey hey, we can't just steal the car." Steve said, chivalry coursing through him.

"Then we will have to return it later, now get in before they shut down the airport." Ethan said with resignation in his voice. He was running on adrenaline right now, refusing to think of what had just happened to him. He sat down in the car and heard it sigh as Steve got in. He started driving for the airport and finally arrived twenty minutes later. The whole city was gridlocked now with police everywhere.

The airport was almost as bad with security having increased a huge amount but Ethan was let through when he showed them his ID and he hoped that they hadn't seen a picture of who had destroyed the Louvre.

Ethan drove them through the airport until he reached the jet. They got out and quickly got on board. He ran to the pilot chair and immediately started powering up. They were in the air and cloaked in less then a minute and were speeding back to HQ. A light kept flashing on the screen next to him, SHIELD was trying to contact him but Ethan ignored the light. Finally an hour out of base it stopped flashing and Maria Hill's face appeared on the screen.

"Agent Jacobs, report." She sounded angry with him, or maybe just frustrated.

Ethan just kept flying and ignored her. "Fine don't talk but Fury will be there when you touch down." The screen went black and Ethan sped up, pushing the jet to its limits before finally setting it down on the hanger of SHIELD HQ. Steve pushed the button and the ramp descended and the of them walked down it.

Ethan was surprised as he was attacked by a ball of flying blonde hair. All the breath was knocked out of him as Amy tackled him into a hug, "Ethan you have to talk to them. None of us know what happened, Steve just texted me to say that you would need me here," Amy spoke quietly to him, so none of the small crowd waiting could hear them.

Ethan looked around to see Director Pierce, Fury and Maria Hill waiting for him. Fury stepped forward.

"Agent Jacobs, report." Ethan stood to attention but couldn't bring himself to talk. Steve stepped forward and reported to Fury. He told him everything up to the moment where they walked into the lab. He faltered then and looked at Ethan.

"We found my." Ethan heard his own voice catch in his throat and he coughed. "We found the doctor who made me. He, he was my father." Amy gasped and Fury stared at him. Ethan didn't drop his eyes. He wasn't going to be intimidated right now. "He was working on clones. Clones of me, ones who wouldn't be able to break out of his conditioning. I had to fight one. When I beat him my father killed the clone and then I shot him. At the last second I saw myself in that clone, just before he died. The lab self destructed after that." Ethan heard his own voice, it sounded cracked and horse but he had to be strong now.

Fury, Pierce and Hill just stared at him for a few minutes before Pierce turned to walk away from him. "I need to get on to the French President. Make sure he knows the truth and not that SHIELD is declaring war on him." The older man quickly left their group and Fury turned back to Ethan.

He looked at Amy and Steve, "Get him home." Ethan felt himself slipping and Steve grabbed him, propping him up under his shoulder. Ethan was almost lifted off the ground. Just as Ethan felt himself slipping away he hear Fury say something in an unusual voice. "Make sure he isn't alone tonight. He's going to be in a bad place for a while." It almost sounded like Fury sounded sad for Ethan.

Ethan woke up in his bed, light streaming in through the curtains. He felt a pressure on his arm and found Amy lying on his chest. He shifted slightly and she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Her voice sounded warm, "Morning Ethan, how are you feeling."

If Ethan was going to be honest he felt like shit but he just said, "Fine."

She laughed at him, "I don't even need to be a psychologist to know that that was bull. Now get up, we've got a flight to catch." Ethan had forgotten about going to see Amy's parents for thanksgiving. She pulled the covers off them and got out of bed. She was wearing the same clothes she had been in the evening before.

"I'm just going to run home and grab some clothes, so have breakfast ready when I get back." She disappeared out the door. Ethan sat up in bed and looked out of his window at the river. The rest of the city was getting ready for the holiday and Ethan saw people rushing around going last minute shopping.

Ethan got ready and dressed in a casual shirt and trousers before going downstairs and making breakfast. He realised that Amy had taken the spare key and he heard her opening the door as he flipped the last pancake onto a plate. He had made coffee and orange juice as well as some bacon and they both sat down at the breakfast bar to eat it.

"It's gonna be good for you I think Ethan. You need to get away from everything, SHIELD and killing people. Trust me, my parents will be able to distract you." She had her calming 'trust me I'm a psychologist voice' on in and Ethan leaned across to kiss her. She was wearing a flowery perfume and had his Angel necklace on. She also wore a denim jacket and jeans.

After they were finished eating Ethan put the dishes in the washer and went up stairs to get his bag ready. He packed some clothes and came downstairs to find Amy staring at her phone. She turned the TV on and flipped it to a news channel. She turned to Ethan as he came down the stairs.

"You're famous, though they found a good way to cover you up." The TV kept replaying some grainy cellphone footage of Ethan kneeling infront of the crater. He saw himself stand up and turn to the crowd before pressing the EMP and vanishing. You never could quite see his face.

"God I look like a killer, now I know what Steve meant when he said I looked like I was about to kill everyone." Ethan felt like his chest was constricting though he was very surprised by the next slide.

In big letters across the screen it said 'Captain America alive'. Amy explained to him, "Fury and Pierce must have decided that the only way to prove that you weren't the bad guys was to announce that you were with Captain America. I think the Internet exploded, though they haven't said anymore then that he is alive."

Ethan laughed a little before switching the TV off, he didn't feel like reliving it right now. He checked his watch before walking checking his bag. He had his staff, somehow Steve had managed to grab it as they ran out of the lab, and both Nat's and his father's daggers.

He pulled out his father's and looked at it. Amy looked at it and said, "why do you want to keep that?"

"Because it's the only thing I have left of him, no matter what he really was if I look at this i still remember the man I thought was dead. He was a good man you know, he would read me stories at night. We had this little place by the Neva that you could see most of the city from and he would sit by my bed and tell me about heroes and villains." Ethan lost himself in the memories before Amy hugged him and brought him back to earth.

Her voice was muffled as she was pressed close to him but he heard her still, "keep it close to you. Just remember him like that from now one, don't think of what he was. Just remember that man." She pulled away from him and looked straight into his eyes. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Always, along as your there." She smiled and punched his arm.

"Cheesy idiot."

They left the apartment and drove to JFK where they were flying to LA from. Ethan liked the airport, there were thousands of people around him but all of them were to busy to look at him. They carried their bags through the airport and got to security where Ethan found a special desk where he flashed his badge and was let through a side gate. He didn't really want to have to explain the large amount of weaponry on him.

Their flight was full and busy but Ethan had booked them both first class seats so they were in relative comfort as they flew across the continent. The flight attendant kept laughing at them because Amy spent the whole flight curled up half on top of him and Ethan hugged her close.

"First holiday together?" The flight attendant asked as she brought them both fruit cocktails.

Amy nodded and at her and she said "what I wouldn't give to be young and happy like you two." They both laughed as she walked away to serve some other people. If only she knew what their life was really like and she would probably be afraid of him.

They touched down at LAX mid afternoon and Ethan stood outside the main entrance with Amy. Suddenly she let go of his hand and flew at someone. Ethan followed at a slower pace to see that she had tackled an older boy, maybe twenty. He had blonde hair like Amy and a similar face.

She was squealing as he managed to extract a hand which he held out Ethan. "Hey good to meet you. I'm James, Amy's older brother. You must be Ethan" Ethan shook his hand. James had a gruff voice with that same British accent.

Amy sounded happy to see him when she squeezed him. "I didn't know you were coming, when did you get back?"

"I got back a week ago, mum wanted to keep it a surprise." Ethan felt a little confused.

"Oh Ethan, James is a sniper in the Royal Marines. He's pretty good I hear." James smirked at her. Ethan felt James roll his eyes over him, Ethan knew that the big guy had sussed him out as an agent.

"Let's not talk shop. Come on, I'm parked over here." They walked over to an old Chevy which Amy said was her dad's and had restored it. They drove through the traffic with James playing loud AC/DC and Amy asked him everything. He had been in Afghanistan doing things that he wouldn't tell Amy. "I don't want to dampen the mood."

It took them half an hour to reach Amy's parents house. It was a decent sized place, two floors with a pool out the back and a large garden. It was a very hot day, about 24 degrees centigrade and Amy led Ethan round the back of the house, dragging him by the hand.

A middle age lady was sitting in a lounger by the pool reading a book. "Mum" Amy called out to her and she turned around. Ethan instantly could tell that she was Amy's mother. They had the same hair and face and their eyes were startlingly similar. She smiled and Ethan saw creases by her mouth, she obviously smiled a lot.

Amy raced over to her as she got up and she hugged her daughter. "Oh darling, it's so good to see you." She turned to Ethan, "and this handsome boy must be Mr Jacobs"

She smiled at him kissed him on both cheeks. "Please Mrs Waters, call me Ethan"

She laughed at that, "oh you are polite, Amy didn't lie. Well then you must call me Tessa then Ethan." She turned back to Amy. "Come and sit down, you must tell me everything you've been up to and then you are going to tell me all about this cute boy you managed to pick up."

Amy scowled at her but they both laughed when they saw Ethan blush. Amy pulled out chairs for both of them and they sat down. "Where's dad, mum?"

She scowled at that, "he forgot to buy the cake for pudding, you know what he's like. Always forgetting things. Though that might be him now." James came out of the house with an older man who had greying hair and a scattered face. He looked preoccupied thinking about something until Tessa called out to him. "Steven, are you too caught up in your work to even come out and see your daughter?"

Steven looked up and smiled when he saw Amy and Ethan sitting outside. Amy got up and hugged him and they all sat down in a circle, drinking the lemonade that James had brought out.

"Now come on Amy spill the beans, what have you been up to?" Tessa was looking at Amy over her glass.

"Aww mum, you know that I can't really tell you much."

Steven sighed then before speaking to Tessa "Where did we go wrong? Two children and neither will tell us what they are up to. I take it you can't really tell us either can you Ethan?"

Ethan smiled at Steven, "not really. I work at SHIELD, same as Amy, though not quite the same department."

James said, "you must be an Agent. Scars down your arm and the two knives sticking out of your bag." Ethan felt cornered but Amy reached out and held his hand.

He knew that James wasn't being mean, but he didn't feel like elaborating so he just shot a look at James telling him to drop it.

Ethan saw Steven and Tessa look at eachother. He knew that they had guessed what his job really was but he knew that they wished Amy was dating someone safer. Amy broke the silence between them, "so how long till dinner?"

Their conversation quickly got back to normal. Ethan found out that Tessa was a computing teacher and Steven worked for STARK industries as a physicist. He was apparently quite senior as he reported straight to Stark. "Well where did you think my little girl got her brains?" They all laughed and Amy hit her dad on the arm.

"No I sucked them out of James when I was born." Amy said causing James to pout, faking being offended.

"I don't know how you can work there, when I met Stark he came off as a bit, um I suppose unbearable would be the right word."

Steven laughed at that, "ha he is that but Pepper keeps him in line. So you've met Tony then?"

Ethan did a double take, realising he had let something slip. "Well, I helped him out with his little trouble at the expo."

Steven's eyes widened after hearing that, "So you were the agent who took down Hammer, Tony just said it was some SHIELD agent. Well I'm impressed, I'll tell you that and that's coming from someone whose boss is Iron Man"

They kept talking for a while before heading inside for dinner. Amy's mum had gone all out. Cooking turkey and stuffing with potatoes and something Tessa called Yorkshire Puddings which were delicious.

As they sat down for dinner Tessa turned to Amy. "You don't think you were getting away without talking about you two did you?" She pointed at Amy and Ethan who sat next to eachother. They held hands under the table.

Amy looked at Ethan who started speaking, "well I had just gotten off an... Interesting mission and Amy was in charge of my psych eval and she managed to fix me up."

She smiled at him before cutting in, "I didn't do that much, to be honest you should be much worse than you are." She turned to her parents, "Ethan had a unique upbringing. That's why he joined SHIELD so young."

Her mum smiled at him and they got down to eating their dinner. Ethan started a conversation with Amy's dad about what he did for Stark. Apparently he was heading up their renewable energy project. Ethan was happy to be distracted by Amy's Dad's long talk about his project. He said that they were quite close to having free clean energy available to everyone.

After dinner James, Steven and Ethan moved through to the lounge whilst Amy and Tessa caught up in the kitchen. James flicked on the TV. The young man had been quite for the whole evening. Ethan thought that, just like him, James wasn't used to being in this loving environment. The TV was playing the news, running through the aftermath of the Louvre being mostly destroyed.

The news anchor spoke officiously, "The French President has spoken in his press conference today that the destruction was caused by a terrorist cell who had created a base beneath the area. It's currently unknown how this happened but there is some cellphone footage of the event which proves that the recently unveiled Captain America, who was announced today was found frozen but managed to survive for seventy years, was on the scene with one other unknown operative." A picture appeared on screen of him, he was wearing his combat suit and hood. He must just of stood up to EMP the police.

I can't do this. Everything was fine and happy, I'm going to lose it if I have to relive it again. The news had cut to a three person panel who were discussing him.

The first man said, "He is clearly well armed, I can see a gun and possibly a knife handle. Do we want to consider that he is a secret agent. Maybe he works for SHIELD or some other secret organisation. He is with Captain America, who was announced by Alexander Pierce who is our voice on the World Security Council which we know is in charge of SHIELD."

The second man laughed slightly, "steady on there, all the general public officially knows about SHIELD is that they are a global peace keeping force, the best of the best and super top secret. If you look at his picture this Agent looks like he is sixteen years old. Our government wouldn't allow children into combat."

The third man is looking at the background of the pictures, highlighting the fires in the pit. "I want to know what is burning down there, I mean we know that there was a base beneath the Louvre so we have to ask how that got there and then why it was destroyed? I think the world deserves an answer to everything."

The feed cut back to the anchor and Ethan suddenly felt dizzy, he hadn't realised that he had been holding his breath but he was close to passing out. He had to get out of there, he felt his head pounding again.

Ethan looked around and saw that James was watching him closely. He knows, or at least suspects. Ethan quickly got up and stumbled out of the room, reaching the front door where he fell onto the gravel drive. His head was pounding now, he felt sick. Why was he like this, he couldn't get the image of his father dead on the floor out of his head. He sat up, curling into a ball and breathed deep.

Focus

He had to clear his head. Ethan reach into his pocket and pulled out his father's knife, he wasn't even sure when he had grabbed it from his bag. He flicked it open and stared at it. He looked up at the stars remembering how it felt to lie in bed, looking out across the river after his father had tucked him in. The stars shined off the water there as well.

Suddenly a gasp cut across his imagination. It was coming from inside, his better hearing just about picking it up.

He heard Steven inside, "he just saw that on the TV and took off."

He heard Amy reply, "oh god, he must have freaked out. He's been through so much recently and Paris was worse then you could imagine. I'm going to go talk to him."

Ethan was almost glad when he heard James next, "not don't. I'll go." He heard Amy try to protest but James must of done something to make her stop as he didn't hear her again. He didn't want Amy right now, she would try to help him but he just felt broken inside.

Next to Ethan the door opened to the Water house and James stepped out onto the porch. He looked down at Ethan, "come on, I want to show you something." He started walking across the driveway to the road. Ethan picked himself up and crossed the road with James. On the other side there was a church. Ethan expected them to go inside but James walked around it to a low side side room that must be the vestry.

James jumped and grabbed the side and pulled himself up and then jumped up onto the proper roof. Ethan quickly followed and found James sitting on the the tiles. Ethan sat down next to him.

They were up on a hill on the outskirts of the city and from here you could see the whole thing. All the lights looks attractive below them.

James broke the silence, "I was eighteen when I first killed someone. I was on my first tour, on overwatch for some guys that were taking down some hostiles in a room. A woman ran down the streets, she had a rifle in her hands. I prayed and prayed that she wanted just to protect herself or her family but no, she ran towards our guys. I waited till the last second, when I was sure that she would pull the trigger on my friends. My bullet went through her skull, right here." He tapped his temple, "I pulled the bolt back and went back to my job. I barely thought about it till afterwards but it messed me up inside. I had just killed someone, and I will never forget her face. The life fading out of her eyes. The blood pooling beneath her. Maybe I did the right thing but that doesn't matter."

He turned to face Ethan, "now I'm going to bet that you've probably killed more people then I have, I barely want to imagine what you've gone through but there was someone in there wasn't there. Inside that base."

Ethan locked eyes with him and gave him a quick nod.

"Well kid, you can think two things. One, that you are evil inside, for killing that person. Or you can see the world as it is. That you may have to do bad things but you do them to help people. To make the world a better place, for you and for Amy."

Ethan was starting to calm down now. He was breathing normally again and didn't feel dizzy. "108" Ethan said simply looking out across the city. "108 in ten years." He turned back to James and saw pity in his eyes. Pity and pain, the pain of knowing what it was like to kill with the burden of knowing that you're doing it for the right reason.

"Why'd you count?" James asked perfectly keeping eye contact.

"Everyone counts. It's what they tell you not to do so its the only thing you do." Ethan said.

"Who was it? Who did you kill down there that has broken you up inside." James was next to him now, pushing him for information.

"His name was Anton... Anton Jacobs." Ethan said with his lip starting to tremble. He looked back up at James whose eyes had widened in understanding. "He was my father. A scientist who experimented on a four year old boy to try and turn him into a killer. It worked, obviously. Because I killed him, my father." Ethan was crying now. Silent tears rolled down his face but he didn't bother to stop them.

"Ethan, that's fucked up. It's fucked up that he did that to you. It's fucked up that you've had to live like this. It's fucked up that you had to kill him but you have to move on. I joined the army so I could help people. I was ready to do the things that other people can't to keep them safe. And that means stopping bad people. That's all you did, you stopped a bad person. It doesn't matter who he was, all that matters is that it's over now and you can finally be happy. Even if being happy means that you have to go out with my sister.

Ethan did something he hadn't thought possible right then and laughed. It sounded stupid, him sitting on a deserted church roof with a British sniper who was telling him to get on with his life. Was James right though? Had he just stopped a bad man or had he extracted revenge on a man who had caused him twelve years of pain and torment?

But what did it matter either way. He was safe and unhurt and he was back home. Could he not just be happy now and try to live his life.

Ethan stood up and turned around on the roof, "we should probably go back before they get to worried." Ethan reached the edge of the roof and jumped off, landing fifteen feet below.

James dropped down from the vestry roof next to him looking impressed, "I guess that you could do a lot more than that hey?"

Ethan smiled and turned around but James grabbed his arm. "I just wanted to say one more thing, I know I'm going to sound like a knob but you take care of Amy. You lead a dangerous life Ethan and she may get hurt so you better not let that happen."

Ethan laughed as he walked away, calling over his shoulder "if you only knew."

James laughed nervously. "That as a joke right!?." Ethan just gave him a sly look as he carried on walking back to the house.

They walked back into the house and Amy immediately came over to him and hugged him before looking him in the eye, "Ethan are you ok?"

"Yeah I am, it turns out your brother is quite smart." Ethan smiled at her.

"Yeah just remember he said that the next time you quote your doctorate at me." They all laughed and sat down.

Ethan looked at Amy's parents now, "sorry I brought out all this drama. Everything has just been up in the air at the moment."

Tessa smiled at him, "oh don't you worry, you should have heard James after his first girlfriend broke up with him."

They all laughed and the evening regressed to light conversation and finally Ethan and Amy dropped into bed. They were sleeping in Amy's childhood room. The walls were painted pink and there was a large double bed in it. Amy's parents had turned it into a nice guest room since she had left. Ethan fell asleep with Amy pressed against him.

The whole family decided to have some fun the next day and they went walking on the California hills. It was pretty easy for Ethan but Amy was flagging behind. Ethan dropped into walk beside her, "you know I heard that Rumlow is taking everyone who fails the next office physical for a one week intensive course." She punched his arm and laughed.

They reached the top of the hill they were climbing and unpacked a picnic and they all sat down to eat the leftovers from the last nights evening. Ethan was trying to best James and Steven at the 'I've been in a shittier place then you have game.' He thought James won though when he said the roof of a toilet on a builders lot.

Tessa and Amy were whispering to each other and Ethan refused to evesdrop. The boys talk of course moved on to cars but Ethan told them about his Ferrari which they were very jealous of.

After a few hours talking on the roof they finally started making their way home where Tessa brought out a photo album and started showing Ethan baby photos. He had to admit that Amy was a very cute baby, even if he did confuse her with James sometimes.

Ethan and Amy were getting the night flight home so they had to leave in the early evening. Amy was a little tearful as they left and Ethan shook hands and kissed cheeks before they were finally dropped off at LAX and after a long flight dropped into bed at Ethan's apartment.

Waking up the next morning Ethan thought that maybe everything would start to be alright from now on.


	19. Chapter 19

Life returned to normal after Paris. At least as normal as they could ever get as a SHIELD agent. Ethan hadn't seen Steve who was keeping a low profile after he was shown to the world so he wouldn't be going on any missions soon. Ethan however had been on missions. Over the two weeks after going to LA, Ethan had killed a man who was planning on planting a bomb in London, disrupted a drug smuggling ring and had even managed to stop a reporter who was close to discovering his identity. All of that and he still managed to see Amy most days.

Paris had finally died down, the French government stopped making requests for Ethan to appear before them and there was new gossip going around, like how the Helicarrier was supposedly being tested to fly at that moment.

It was his latest mission that was the worst though. He was infiltrating a gang that was planning on smuggling weapons across Europe to earn big money and it was Ethan's job to find out who was in charge. He had set himself up as a German truck driver who was quickly recruited to transport a cache of 'fruit' that was actually Semtex from Hungry to Denmark where it would be sold. He had been able to access a computer at the depot where he had picked up his package and found that it had been ordered by a crime lord in Stockholm. That had led him to an office building which he had broken into to find information that led him to where he was now. The whole trip had taken almost three weeks.

He felt quite sad as he hadn't seen Amy at all in that time, only being able to sneak in a few quick phone conversations. They had never been apart for this long and Ethan was worried for her but right now he had to focus.

He was crouching low in his car across from a villa in Lucca in north Italy. All his Intel told him that a man called Marco Fransisco was inside with at least six body guards. Marco was the leader of the organisation and it was his job to take him out. Ethan opened his door and ran across the road. He ducked his head down as he pulled up his hood.

Ethan stuck to the shadows as he snuck down the driveway to the big villa and started running as he reached the end of the drive, pointing his watch at the roof and he fired the grappling hook up to the roof. Ethan climbed up the side of the house and reached the second floor window which he praised open with his knife. Ethan wasn't sure what he would find but was surprised to find himself in a young boy's bedroom. The kid was fast asleep on a race car bed and didn't stir as Ethan snuck across the room.

The boy must have been Marco's son. Ethan didn't let himself think about it, he couldn't become distracted and the boy would be better without Marco in his life anyway.

Ethan opened the door into the hallway and found himself in a small corridor. Next to the door stood a big burly man who turned around at the door creaking. He spoke in soft Italian, "hey kiddo couldn't you-" he faltered when he saw Ethan who struck out like a viper. Ethan punched out at the man's throat and felt the man's windpipe be crushed under his fist.

It was a shame really, the guard was just doing his job. Then again these were top thugs of Marco's organisation meaning they had all done some pretty bad things.

Ethan ran silently down the corridor, turning at the end of it two see two guards standing in another corridor. They stood outside a door that was at the top of a large fancy flight of stairs. Inside was the master bedroom, where Marco would be sleeping.

He would be alone inside, his wife was in Florence working as a curator of a museum there. Ethan crouched at the corner of the corridor and pulled out his staff. He extended it behind him and ran forward, jumping and pushing of the side wall before smashing the first guard in the head with the pole, dropping him instantly with a crushed skull. The other guard tried to call out but Ethan was faster and spun his staff around whilst kicking the guard in the crotch. He gasped out and bent over so Ethan span on his back and pulled his staff across the guards throat and he twisted the head up, disconnecting it from the spine and killing the man instantly.

Ethan rolled as the guard fell and came up standing at the door. He opened it and slipped in. The light was on inside and Marco was sitting at a desk in the corner of the room. Ethan pulled out his gun after stowing his staff across his back and pointed it at the back of Marco's head. He was about to pull the trigger when his phone rang.

Shit.

Marco shot up and turned around. His eyes widened and he lunged at Ethan. The big man tackled him but Ethan rolled with him and fell down, rolling backwards until Marco was ontop of him and he kicked out with both legs. Marco went flying and hit his head on the bed frame. He slid down it and groaned before Ethan quickly raised his gun and shot him in the head.

He looked at his watch, it said 'Nat'. He pressed a button on his wrist and put in an earbud. Ethan heard Nat's voice for the first time in over a month. "Ethan, we need you to come in."

The door burst open to the bedroom and four men ran in. Ethan yelled into his mic, "hang on." Ethan flicked his wrists and his gauntlets extended. He ducked down and punched the first guard in the gut and felt his belly explode. He stood up and pulled both his hands around the man's chin and pulled his head back, snapping his neck.

Ethan then jumped forward and used his augmented strength to grab the second and third guard by the head and he slammed them together, turning them to mush. The final guard stumbled backwards and Ethan pointed his gauntlet at him and pressed a button on the palm of his hand. A blast shook the room and a shotgun shell ejected itself from the side of the gauntlet. The final guard fell back with a large hole in his chest.

Ethan scanned around before talking back to Nat. "Well I'm all done here, so what's up?"

Nat said the three words that made his stomach fall out. "Barton's been compromised. I need you to meet me in Calcutta. We are brining Banner in." She hung up the phone and Ethan just stared down at the bodies around him. He kicked a hand as he walked out.

Four hours later he was walking off a private jet he had taken from Italy to Calcutta. Nat was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs and Ethan could instantly see that she was upset but trying to to show it.

"So what happened?" Ethan could hear the worry in his voice.

"Clint was in charge of security for a project about getting clean energy out of a thing called the 'Tesseract' something came through the portal they created and took over his mind. Santa Fe is a hole in the ground now." She sounded angry. "I've got a team set up to contain Bruce and a girl is going to lure him back."

Ethan grabbed her arm. "Nat are you ok? I don't even need to ask how you are feeling about Clint but I know you were in Harlem the last time that Banner lost it."

Nat glared at him, "we have a job to do and I will follow through, now come on." They sat in silence in the car.

They sat and waited in a small wooden house, sitting next to eachother in the shadows, watching as a small girl ran through the house and jumped out of the back window. She was followed by a man who had a wise face and a thin body, he didn't exactly look like the worlds most dangerous monster. Nat was wearing a blue dress with a red shawl and Ethan wore a dark suit. They had decided to show a formal face of SHIELD to Banner, hoping that he would trust them more than if they burst in wearing commando gear.

They both stood up, Banner saw them and grimaced. Ethan said "Good evening Doctor Banner."

"You know for a man who's supposed to be avoiding stress, you've found a hell of a place to settle." Nat sounded calm. Stressed was better than angry Ethan supposed.

Banner put his bag down, "avoiding stress isn't the answer."

Ethan laughed quietly, "what is? Yoga?"

"You brought me to the edge of the city, that's smart." He laughed, "I assume the place is surrounded."

"Just you and us." Nat said, Ethan laughed inwardly. The building was surrounded.

He pointed out the back window, "and your little actress buddy. You have agents that young now. What, do you start their training early?"

"We did." Nat said plainly.

"And who are you?" He looked at both of them

"My name is Natasha Romanov and this is Ethan Jacobs."

"Oh I've heard of you. The Black Widow and the boy who if I'm not mistaken was on the news recently. Are you hear to kill me Miss Romanov? Because that won't end well for both of us." He sounded calm but Ethan could hear fear deep in his voice. Banner was terrified of the Hulk.

"No no. We're here on behalf of SHIELD." Ethan said whilst pulling out his phone.

Banner sighed, "SHIELD, how'd you find me?"

Nat spoke them, "we never lost you doctor. We kept our distance, even kept some interested parties away." Ethan remembered hearing about the deranged General Ross who was constantly trying to find the Hulk.

"Why?" Bruce said with confusion in his voice.

"Because Nick Fury seems to trust you." Nat said. Ethan felt it was odd that this was probably true. The super spy who trusts no one believes the Hulk can be used for good.

"but now we need you to come in." Ethan said.

"And what if I don't want to." Bruce sounded afraid again, he didn't want a fight.

Nat spoke softly to him "Then I'll persuade you."

"Then what if the... Other guy says no."

Ethan was tapping into his phone, bringing up files as Nat said, "you haven't had an incident in over a year, I don't think you want to break that streak."

"Doctor, we are facing a potential global catastrophe" Ethan handed his phone to Banner showing him a picture of the Tesseract. "We want you to find this, it emits a low level gamma radiation. No one knows gamma radiation like you do. We need you to find it."

Bruce studied the picture carefully, "and Fury doesn't want the... The other guy."

Ethan shook his head and Nat said, "not that he told us."

All of a sudden Bruce slammed his hands down on the table and yelled "Stop lying to me!" Ethan and Nat instantly had their hidden guns out and pointed them at Banner. Ethan felt fear at what Bruce could become course through him and saw it mirrored but even worse in Nat's eyes.

Bruce seemed to recoil, "I'm sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see how you would react." He pushed the end of the gun away. "Let's just not use these and the other guy won't make a mess ok."

Nat put her gun down and said into her earpiece, "stand down."

Bruce chuckled "just you and me huh."

Back on the jet, Ethan was flying and Nat was sitting as his co pilot. "So who else is Fury bringing in?" Ethan said.

"I know he sent Coulson after Stark and he went to get Rogers but apart from that I don't know." She still sounded angry. Ethan felt angry as well but wouldn't let it cloud his judgement. They both knew that Clint would have been called in if he was still with them.

"Nat. We are going to get him back." Nat just stared out the front window. Ethan didn't let himself think about what they might have to do to Barton.

An few hours later Ethan landed their jet on the Helicarrier. It was moored off of New York harbour and the deck was bustling with activity. Ethan, Nat and Banner all walked down the ramp and Ethan was immediately barraged with deck crew insisting on him signing some paperwork.

Whilst Ethan was placating them he saw Banner standing around awkwardly looking at all the operatives and Nat had walked over to another jet. Ethan saw Steve talking quietly to her.

He quickly signed off the paper work and walked over to meet them, grabbing Doctor Banner as he went.

Steve called out to them, "Ethan, good to see you. And you must be Dr Banner." He held out his hand which Bruce shook. "I heard Fury was bringing you in. The word is that you could find the cube."

"Is that the only word on me?" Banner sounded hesitant.

"The only one I care about." There it was, Banner had Steve's word that he wasn't expected to fight and he must have felt OK with that as Ethan saw him relax a bit. Ethan suspected it wasn't quite true though, Fury always liked to have the biggest stick in the room and Banner was one damn big stick.

Ethan heard a horn behind him and turned to see the ground crew running inside. Nat walked up behind their group. "Gentlemen you may want to step inside. It's going to get a little hard to breathe."

Steve and Bruce looked over the edge again. "Is this a submarine?" Steve sounded confused

Banner laughed at that, "Yeah because SHIELD want to keep me in a thin pressurised tube."

Suddenly there was a huge roar as four turbines lifted themselves out of the water.

"No this is much worse."

Once they walked inside Ethan and Nat walked through the hallways of the Hellicarrier. Ethan had learnt the general floor plan when he had found out about the new base as he would have been relocated to it at some point.

Steve called to Ethan from behind him, "oh Ethan, Amy made me tell you 'hi' and 'you better come back in one piece'. She has taken over my adjustment to the real world and she's helped a lot."

They were walking onto the bridge as Steve finished. Banner turned to them and said, "who's Amy?"

Ethan smirked, "girlfriend."

Banner's eyes softened and he laughed slightly. Fury called out to them as they walked onto the bridge. Nat crouched down next to one of the computers and started looking at the facial recognition scan that was running.

"Though the love life of my Agents makes amusing dinner conversation, we have bigger problems now."

Coulson spoke up from the bank of computers below them. "We are sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cellphones, laptops. You name it."

Ethan turned to Bruce now, "that's where you come in doctor."

Bruce took of his coat. "How many spectrographs do you have access to?"

Fury crossed his arms, "how many are there?"

"Well contact every lab you know, get them to put their spectrographs on the roof. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm, basic cluster recognition, at least we will be able to get rid of a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?" Banner looked miles away, concentrating on his work.

"Agent Jacobs, can you show Dr Banner to his lab and help him with his work. Agent Romanov, you can help with the facial scans."

Ethan motioned for Bruce to follow him, "Come on doctor, you're going to love it. We've got all the toys." Ethan led Banner down through the Helicarrier to a lab.

"What do you need me to do Doc?" Ethan watched as Banner got to work.

A few hours later, Ethan and Banner had been working and their tracking algorithm was almost done. Ethan had had to learn about gamma radiation on the fly but Banner said he had picked up almost a degree in the field in less than a few hours. Ethan had changed into a t shirt and jeans and put a lab coat over it.

They were almost done when Ethan heard Fury through his ear piece. "Jacobs, report to the bridge immediately."

Ethan pulled of his labcoat before turning to Banner. "They need me on the bridge, are you ok to finish this?" Bruce nodded and Ethan ran out of the room, speeding up to the bridge just in time to hear one of the techies at a computer call out, "he's in Germany. He's not exactly hiding."

Fury turned to Steve, "You're up Cap, take Jacobs and Romanov with you."

Ethan ran to the hanger with Steve. Nat was going to meet them there. They both had shipping crates waiting for them. SHIELD had shipped his entire personal lab onto the carrier and Steve had another one that contained his uniform.

Ethan ran into his own container and pulled on his combat trousers and boots before donning his combat vest and pulling his weapons off of racks where he placed them just a few hours earlier. He met Steve at the jet.

It felt odd to see the proper Captain America standing in a modern SHIELD base. He wore his shield of his back. His new armour was made out of a Kevlar weave that made it manoeuvrable and light whilst remaining strong. Ethan knew that Coulson had mostly designed the paint job and had to admit that it didn't look half bad. The Stars and Stripes looked good across him.

"You look ready for war again Captain." Ethan said as they walked up the ramp.

"Let's just hope we don't have to fight another one." Steve sounded grave.

Ethan sat down opposite to Steve in the back of the jet. He wasn't piloting today as he may be needed on the ground.

They'd didn't speak as the jet rocketed through the sky, only talking once they got close to the target. Ethan was looking at a screen, watching the security feed from inside the building.

He pointed at the screen just as Loki stabbed a man in the eye. Ethan pressed a button on the side which showed that the man was the head of the museum lab. Ethan turned to Steve, "That thing must be transmitting his eye for scanning somewhere." Ethan flicked through the buildings blueprints until he saw a door that led to the lab store room.

He pointed at it, "there. That must be it. They are going for something inside the store room." Ethan shouted behind him to Nat, "drop me off at the back of the building." They were coming in low to the city now. Nat dodged between buildings before spinning the jet around and opening the ramp. Ethan ran out and jumped, landing fifteen feet below.

He rolled and came up crouched, looking around. Nat had taken off, ready to apprehend Loki. Ethan ran forward, seeing two guards dead on the floor with arrows sticking out of their chests. Clint was defiantly here.

Ethan sunk back into the shadows as three men came out of a door built on the outside of he building. Two guards carried a cylinder between them and Clint followed them out.

Ethan gasped as he saw his face, his eyes were glassed over as his head whipped around to see Ethan. He yelled at the two men, "go, get back to the jet." And turned to face Ethan.

Ethan pulled out his staff and elongated it. Clint notched an arrow and fired it at Ethan but he was ready and slid underneath it. Ethan swung his staff around and tried to sweep Clint's feet but he just jumped over his staff and kicked him in the face. Ethan felt pain explode along his face, Clint wasn't holding back.

Ethan swung his staff around, trying to hit Clint in the chest but he blocked it with his bow. Their fight carried on with both men moving fast, their reaction times were equally fast however and neither could land a blow. Ethan would swing with his staff and Clint would counter with his bow which had a knife blade down the side.

It all changed though when Ethan managed to slip past Clint's guard and was about to hit Clint in the head. He was moving to fast though, he had been trying to break Clint's bow and his current speed would mash Clint's head. Ethan jerked his hand up at the last second, his staff sailing over Clint's head and he was left opened for Clint to punch him in the chest and kick him in the hand causing his staff to fly out of it.

Ethan groaned in pain as his hand hurt like hell and Clint used his momentary distraction to pullout a knife. Ethan reacted quickly and kicked out at his knees, causing Clint to slip forward as he jerked his leg back and Ethan smashed his knee into Clint's face.

Clint widely swung his knife and managed to cut Ethan's arm but Ethan head butted him in response and Clint fell back. Ethan followed up with a spinning kick that Clint blocked and punched Ethan in the thigh.

Ethan was slowing down, the cut to his arm was sapping his strength and most of his body ached

Ethan threw a punch but knew that he was to slow. Clint grabbed his arm and pulled him off balance, putting his head in a lock and crushing his blood flow to his head. Darkness blurred the edge of his vision as he twisted, trying to break Clint's hold but he held on tight to him.

Ethan felt weak all over, pain washing over him from the different places Clint had hit him. Ethan thought that he was going to die from Clint crushing his throat and knew that it was his fault. He should have just taken him out, Clint was a danger and Ethan had been trained to end people when he had to, he just wasn't ready to kill his friend.

Just as Ethan felt himself about to lose consciousness Clint suddenly released him and looked around. Ethan fell to the ground, coughing and spluttering as Clint took of running. He looked around to see Nat running towards him. She didn't bother to chase Barton, he was already long gone.

Ethan stood up, rubbing his neck. "You were right Nat, he's gone. He almost killed me but I couldn't kill him." Nat stared at him as Ethan retrieved his staff. She grabbed Ethan as he was about to walk past her and kicked out his legs, holding him up by his collar.

Ethan spluttered again as she held him, "listen to me Ethan. We are going to do what we have to from now on." She threw Ethan away from herself. Ethan understood fine, the next time he saw Barton he was going to have to kill him.

Ethan followed Nat back to the jet where a defeated Loki was sitting with his hands cuffed. It turned out that Stark had turned up on the scene which had caused Loki to surrender. Steve was securing Loki's cuffs and Stark was pointing a missile at him.

Nat and Ethan walked up the ramp and Loki turned to look at him, "oh gosh you look terrible. I take it you had a run in with Agent Barton then. We've been having some long conversations, he likes to talk a lot about you two."

Ethan saw red and walked over to Loki before punching him with his full force in the jaw. It made a satisfying crunch under his fist and Ethan saw it immediately start to bruise. It was a shame he wasn't human because that punch would have broken off half his jaw if he was.

Steve grabbed Ethan's arm but he just leaned in close to Loki. "Don't you dare talk about Clint again or I will kill you."

The basted smirked at Ethan, "aww, The Fighter, the young experiment gone rogue. I did so want to meet you." Ethan had to stop himself from pulling out his gun and ending it there but he just stalked across the plane and sat down. Steve walked over to him and started pulling a bandage around his arm.

He spoke in a low voice to Ethan, "Barton do this to you?" Ethan was pretty beat up, dark bruises were forming all over and the cut on his arm was deep and gushing blood.

Ethan nodded and said "I know what you want to hear, that I can still fight him the next time we meet."

"I would hope that you would actually say that you couldn't. He's one of you best friends and you could kill him." Steve had big sad eyes.

"So what do you want from me, to hear me say that I will never give up? That we can get him back?" Ethan's voice raised slightly as he heard anger ripple through it. It was to much to hope for now, they were fighting a war against aliens, Ethan had to focus on other things than saving Clint.

"I want to hear that you will never give up on your team Ethan." Steve said with the authority of a true soldier echoing through his voice. This was the true Captain America. The man who busted a hole through Nazi Germany to save hundreds of soldiers. He never gave up the hope that they were still alive.

Ethan stared at the ground, trust Steve to make him feel unsure inside. He just hoped now that he wouldn't be the one who had to go and tell Laura that her husband was dead.

When they were flying over the Alps, Ethan started listening in on Steve's and Stark's conversation, something to do with yoga. Suddenly the plane started rocking and Ethan jumped into the cockpit, looking out of the view screen. Clouds had gathered above them that hadn't been there a minute before.

He turned back to Steve, hearing him ask Loki, "what are you afraid of a little lightning?"

Loki was peering up at the ceiling. "I'm not overly fond of what comes next."

"Steve I think it's-" Ethan was cut off as the plane was hit by something, causing it to drop suddenly. With a loud crack the back door of the jet was pulled down and Thor stepped into the plane.

"Thor, don't." But he didn't listen as he grabbed Loki and flew out of the jet. Stark had put his iron man helmet on and was stepping out the back ramp.

Steve called to him, "Stark we need a plan of attack."

Ethan just heard Stark say cockily, "I have a plan... Attack." And he took off out of the plan, jetting off after Thor and Loki. Steve and Ethan both grabbed parachutes.

"That guy that grabbed him was Thor, we met in New Mexico two months ago. He's on our side but I don't think he wants his brother in prison with us. We have to stop those two either killing Loki or each other." Steve strapped his chute on and Ethan mirrored him.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit this one out boys? I mean they are basically gods." Nat called from the cockpit.

"There's only one God ma'am and I'm sure he doesn't dress like that." Steve said as he jumped out of the plane. Ethan just gave a small wave as he jumped.

Ethan loved parachute drops, it was one of the only moments in training that he had been on his own and able to have fun. There was no one in the air with him to tell him to run or hide or fight. Just the air rushing past his face and the adrenaline pumping in his veins.

Ethan saw beams and flashes of light below him as Thor and Iron Man fought. Tony had slammed into Thor flying away into the side of a cliff and Thor had pushed hem back off into the ground. It looked incredibly painful to both sides but they were a God and a man in high tech armour so they may have not felt a thing.

Ethan pulled his chute and landed just behind Steve who took of running towards the battle. He motioned for Ethan to hide behind a log as he jumped up onto it.

Ethan heard Steve throw his shield and yell out "Hey, that's enough. Sir, put the hammer down."

This want going to end well. Ethan dropped to the ground and covered his head as a huge explosion ripped through the entire clearing. Ethan felt a huge rush of energy push him into the ground and he was covered in debris. Once the ripple had stopped Ethan pushed himself up and looked around, the entire clearing had been destroyed with the trees flattened all around them.

Ethan felt a stab of fear flow through him, this was the power these people possessed. They could destroy the planet if they wanted to.

Ethan walked around the log to see Steve, Stark and Thor standing in a circle. Ethan walked towards them calling out "Is the grudge match over? Can we go back to stopping the actual bad guy now."

Thor turned around to look at him and smiled. "Warrior, it is good to see you." Thor said in his deep voice

"Yeah good to see you to Stich" Stark said with his faceplate retracted.

"Yeah don't call me warrior or Stich, my name is Ethan remember. Now come on before Loki decides to leave."

They found Loki sitting where Thor left him, leaning over the cliff to watch the fight. They picked him up and made it back to the jet which Nat had put down close by. Once on board they started flying back to the helicarrier.

Once on board tony asked Ethan, "so how do you know Reindeer Games and Premonata over there." He pointed at Thor who was standing over Loki.

"We met in New Mexico and-" Ethan was cut off by Thor

"Ethan managed to save many civilians and aided me in destroying the most powerful guardian of my fathers vault who contains the power of a sun inside of him."

"Yeah that." Ethan said modestly. Tony just raised his eyebrows.

They put down on the Helicarrier an hour later, night had set in and it was very late. Loki was quickly escorted off the Jet by Fury and a squadron of guards. Hill and Coulson were waiting to debrief the team who were to meet on the bridge ASAP.

Ethan found his lab and stowed away all his gear, changing into his standard issue SHIELD jacket and trousers. It felt odd not to be carrying around many weapons, only his watch and bracelet that turned into his gauntlets. He holstered his Glock by his side before reporting to the bridge. He ran into Stark on route though.

"Well don't you look like the perfect Boy Scout." Ethan heard Tony's voice call cockily from behind him.

"Better then the man who has to make a huge metal suit to do anything. Compensating much?" Ethan said as he walked down he hallway, Tony fell into step next to him.

"Touché Stich, didn't know you had some back talk in you." Tony said. Ethan just sighed and walked on.

Tony peeled of from him and walked down another corridor as Ethan walked onto the bridge. Steve and Thor were already on the bridge with Nat arriving just behind him. Bruce was also watching from a corner. They all say around the table to watch Loki's interrogation.

Looking down he saw Fury press a few buttons on the console in the room and the floor beneath the cell opened, creating a very lethal death drop. Surely not even Loki could survive that.

Fury pointed at the console and then at Loki saying "Ant, Boot."

Loki looked around a huge cylinder, thick plugs locking him in. "It's a fancy cage. Not built for me though I think." Loki said smugly.

Ethan looked up at Banner apologetically. The cage must have been built to contain or maybe kill the hulk.

Fury affirmed this when he said "built for something a lot stronger than you."

"Oh I've heard. A mindless beast who plays at being a man." Loki said looking straight into the camera

Bruce just shrugged so Ethan went back to looking at the screen knowing that he couldn't talk to Banner right now.

"How desperate are you? That you call on such lost creatures to defend you."

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world. Steal a force you can't hope to control and then talk about peace but kill because it's fun. You've made me very desperate, and you might not be glad that you did." Ethan agreed with Fury there, the man was scary as hell right now.

Loki seemed unfazed though as he leaned in close to Fury, "oooo, it burns you to have come so close doesn't it. To have the Tesseract. To have so much power. Unlimited power, but for what." Loki turned back to the camera and smirk. "A warm light for all mankind. And then to be shown what real power is."

Fury walked away from Loki, calling behind him "well let me know if real power wants a magazine or something?"

Ethan watched as Loki turned to the camera again as it blinked off. Bruce laughed behind him, "He really grows on you doesn't he."

"I'm not sure, he seems a bit full of himself really." Ethan said.

Steve cut across them saying "Loki is going to drag this out. So Thor what's his play?"

Thor turned to face the table, "he has an army called the Chitauri, they are not of this world or any world known. They will win him the earth in exchange for I suspect the Tesseract."

Steve turned to the table "an army... From outer space." Nat twitched her shoulders and Ethan leaned back in his chair. It was going to be a long night.

Bruce said "so he's creating another portal, that's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

Ethan felt a hand grip his stomach, "shit. Sorry Thor I forgot to say. Selvig was one of the first people to be controlled by Loki. I know he's your friend."

Nat spoke up saying, "Loki has him under some kind of spell. Along with one of ours." Her voice dropped off towards the end. Ethan instantly thought of his fight with Clint and felt pain twinge through him.

"What I want to know is why he let us take him. He's not leading an army from here." Steve said sounding slightly worried.

"He couldn't attack the Carrier could he?" Ethan voiced his concern.

"I wouldn't worry about Loki, that guy is as sane as a bag of cats. You can smell the crazy on him." Bruce said with a slight chuckle.

"Have care, for all the things he has done, Loki is still my brother." Thor said with a dangerous calm in his voice.

"He killed 80 people in two days." Nat said making Ethan groaned inwardly. This grudge match that had been brought to earth needed to be stopped before even more people can get hurt.

This caused Thor to faulted slightly, "he's adopted."

Ethan smirked a little. Bruce said "I think it's about the mechanics of it. What does he need the iridium for?"

An arrogant voice spoke from the doorway. "It's a stabilising agent. It means Loki can keep the portal open for as long and as wide as he likes." Tony Stark had arrived.

Stark swaggered over to the main desk on the bridge. He called out to the workers around him "raise the main sail. Hoist the top mast" all the techies looked up, none of them looking impressed.

Stark pointed out a man at the back "that man is playing Galaga. Thought we wouldn't notice but we did" all the techies got back to work, stopping listening to Stark

Stark looked around the screens pressing buttons, he pointed at the screens to the left of him and asked "How does Fury see these?"

"He turns" Maria Hill said with a very very annoyed voice.

Stark started pressing buttons randomly and said "Sounds exhausting. So, apart from the iridium there are some other things that Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only thing is" Stark was fiddling with the consoles and Ethan saw him press his finger to the side of one. What was he doing? "An energy source, something to kick start the energy source."

"When did you become a genius in thermonuclear Astro-physics?" Hill said with sarcasm ripping through her voice.

"Last night. Dr Selvig's notes, the background reading. Did no one else read that?"

Ethan put up his hand, it had actually been really interesting. Stark pointed at him, "now there's a good boy."

"Shut up Stark." Ethan said with annoyance.

Stark then walked over to Banner and shook his hand. "Dr Banner, your work on antielectron particle theory is unparalleled and I'm also a huge fan of how you turn into a massive green rage monster." Stark said with almost politeness.

Bruce raised his eyebrows, "thanks."

"Doctor Banner is here to find the cube and that's all." Fury had arrived silently onto the bridge.

Steve said "I think we should focus on Loki's weapon. I don't know what it is but it sure functions like a HYDRA weapon."

"I'm not sure about that but it is powered by the cube which is why we must find the Tesseract." Fury said.

Stark turned to Banner and said "Shall we play doc?"

Ethan got up to follow them but Fury caught his arm which made Ethan wince. "You are reporting to medical first agent, your arm is bleeding all over my ship."

Ethan saw that it was true that his bandage was soaked through with blood now as it was starting to stain his jacket. He sighed and walked out of the room towards the infirmary.

As he opened the door he though to himself shit as Doctor Hope stood up from behind a desk.

"How are you everywhere!?" Ethan groaned from the doorway.

"Unfortunately I'm assigned to your team so I have to follow you around mopping up blood." She said in her stern voice. She grabbed his arm and pulled him through a door and pushed him into a best and pulled off his jacket. "You're lucky, the knife didn't cut anything or you would be dead by now. I'm just gonna glue it and then wrap it back up."

Her hands moved quickly over his arm, putting it in a tight loop of cloth. She tutted several times as she worked and prodded it every few seconds just to hear Ethan gasp in pain.

After she was finished, she pulled a chair across the room and sat down next to him. "Ethan I'm going to talk to you now not as an Agent of SHIELD but as your doctor. The amount of times I've had to patch you up now, I've probably seen more of the inside of you than out. Your sixteen years old and are fighting in a war, most people see that as illegal and wrong. Why are you doing this? You could leave now, live a nice life. Hell, you're a genius so go do something with that. Everytime you come to me hurt I just think that there will be a day where I'm not making you better but finding out how you died."

Her voice was soft and sad. Ethan was taken aback, this was unlike the Doctor Hope he knew, this one almost sounded like she cared about him or had any emotions at all.

Ethan smiled at her, "it's not that simple. I can help and that means that I should. I know that it's dangerous but I can't just sit by or in a lab whilst over people go out fighting."

She sighed and said "I knew you would say something like that. Something that made me doubt what I think. Just remember Ethan that one day SHIELD is going to ask you to lay down on the wire so they can step over it and you have to wonder what you will do. Now it's three in the morning, you are going to sleep now. I won't listen to any complaints."


	20. Chapter 20

Ethan's smile faltered slightly but he lay back anyway. He hadn't realised quite how tired he was until he fell asleep almost instantly. His dreams were dark and murky, with faded voices calling to him but he couldn't make out what they said. Suddenly he could hear Steve's voice call to him, yelling his name.

Ethan's eyes shit open as he adjusted to the brightness. Steve was shaking his shoulder and looking dark. Ethan sat up and asked, "what's up?"

Steve sat down in the chair Dr Hope had vacated. Ethan saw the clock on the wall which said seven thirty.

Steve said "what do you know about what SHIELD was doing with the cube?"

Ethan felt confused, why was Steve asking him this. "Nothing, the project was mostly above my clearance, I only knew that it was in Santa Fe and that it involved the Tesseract."

"And what would Fury try to do when he got his hands on the Tesseract?" Steve had an accusing tone.

"I know what your thinking. If Fury had it he was probably trying to weaponise it. That's just what he does." Ethan said almost getting angry at Steve.

"And you weren't brought in? You are one of SHIELDs top weapons experts." And there was where the accusing glare was coming from, Steve thought that Ethan had be making weapons for Fury.

"I wasn't told anything, Fury probably didn't trust me with me knowing you and Thor. We can go and see, this ship has some of SHIELD's top vaults on it." Ethan swung out of bed and walked out of the room, not watching to see if Steve was following because if he didn't trust him then he had no time to waste on the man.

Doctor Hope called after him to not get into any trouble as Ethan left the infirmary and made his way down long twisting corridors that led deep into the Helicarrier. The vaults were deep into the belly of the beast where next to no one would go. The corridors were left dark as Ethan didn't want the lights to alert anyone to their presence. He waited at a thick door for Steve to catch up.

Once Steve was standing outside the door, Ethan pointed at it and motioned for Steve to break it down. This door would require brute force which even Ethan didn't possess. Even Steve strained as he pulled the door open.

Both of them crept inside, for such a big man Steve could sure be quiet. Ethan pointed up a level, seeing some crates that looked promising. Ethan ran forward and jumped onto the railing before leaping for the next level which he grabbed hold of and pulled himself up. Steve had just jumped straight up, the show off.

Ethan walked over to the crates and pulled the first one open. Inside where HYDRA masks and guns. "Fuck me, Fury had this stash in here."

"You know what this means Ethan, Fury is planning on weaponising the Tesseract." Steve said with anger pumping through him.

Ethan was surprised that he also felt a little anger course through him. He had expected to find these weapons but he was still angry that Fury was planning on making weapons that would be this dangerous. Did he really think that this was going to end well.

Ethan said quietly "We have to put a stop to this."

Suddenly Ethan's earpiece bussed into life and Nat's voice echoed across it "Everyone, Loki plans on unleashing the Hulk. Meet me in the lab and bring Thor."

Ethan looked around, "Come on. We have to get there. Bring one of the guns." After speaking Ethan took a running leap off the walkway and landed by the door to the room. He immediately started running at full speed down the corridor. He even pushed off the walls as he was running too fast to corner.

Ethan was just thinking how bad it would be if the Hulk got loose and was worried for Banner. None of them were ready to combat Loki's mind control. Ethan entered the lab just as Fury came in the other door.

"What are you doing Stark?" Fury said with a stern voice.

"He's breaking into your system because he doesn't trust you, or at least I assume that that was what you put on his console in the bridge." Ethan said matter of factly leaning against the wall to catch his breath. "Banner are you ok?"

Stark gave him an approving look as Banner looked at him questioningly, neither of these two had radios so they hadn't heard Nat.

The computer screen in front of Stark bleeped and he looked at it, "what is phase two?"

Ethan said "phase two is-" but was cut off by a loud clunk as Steve dropped a HYDRA gun on the table behind them.

"Phase two is where SHIELD use the Tesseract to make guns. Sorry the computer was moving a little slow for me." Steve said finishing where Ethan left off.

Fury gestured at the gun and said "We collected hundred of artefacts, that doesn't mean-"

Tony turned his screen around and it clearly showed a missile, "I'm sorry but what were you lying?"

Ethan walked over to the screen and had a look at it. "These power outputs, this could level a city easily." Ethan turned to Fury, "what were you planning on doing with these?"

Everyone turned to see Nat and Thor walked into the room. Nat said to Bruce, "don't you think you should remove yourself from this situation doctor?"

Bruce looked back at the missile and pointed at it, "I was in Calcutta, I was pretty far removed. I agree with Ethan, what were you planning on doing with these? Why were they even necessary."

Fury raised a hand to point at Thor. "Because of him."

Thor looked confused, "me?"

Fury explained "three months ago we had an alien grudge match that levelled a small town. We learned that we are hopelessly, hilariously outmatched."

That was true at least, the Destroyer had killed so many people.

"My people have no quarrel with yours." Thor said with anger in his voice.

"Yes but you aren't the only people out there are you? The world is filling up with people who can't be matched." Ethan looked at all of them in the room. The Soldier, The Spy, The God, The Weapon, The Monster... And him. All of them in the room where the people who Fury was talking about and he was right.

They couldn't be matched. Hulk had destroyed Harlem. Iron Man was a global figure head. Thor had destroyed a town in his battle with the Destroyer. Captain America had won World War Two and Nat had killed more people than Ethan liked to think about. Even he had blown up the Louvre.

Ethan stepped forward, anger coursing through him. "And what Fury? Are you planning on stopping us? Just locking us away in a big hole? These weapons are for safety, but we aren't safe. So why are we even here?"

"Those weapons were to be used as a last resort Jacobs." Fury said without cracking his intimidating facade.

But Ethan was pissed off now. "We may not be a team but we sure as hell know which side we fight for, can you say the same?"

"My job is to keep the peace-"

Ethan cut him off, "Which is much easier when everyone is dead." Ethan looked around the room, "what are we in this room? Chaos ready to be unleashed, maybe we are but we aren't going to blow up this planet. That's why we are here Fury, as people who will save the world."

It was clear to him now, Fury didn't trust them. He knew that they could get the job done but when it came to whether they would do his job, well there is became a unclear. If they couldn't be contained then they might be a threat later and Fury hated threats.

Thor spoke from the corner "these weapons are a sign that the earth is ready for a higher level of war. They will bring nothing but destruction to your world. I agree with Ethan these weapons are meant to control not to help."

Stark spoke next, "they're a nuclear deterrent. Because that always calms things down. The kid's right, maybe you should think that we could do some good."

"I see it in us, we can be there. We can be a team, you should have some faith in that. Have faith that we will do good Fury." Steve said.

Ethan could feel the energy in the room, they were united against Fury. Ethan saw it then, the potential to be a team, the possibility that they could actually save the world.

Bruce's voice echoed through the room with rage pumping in it, "This is the hand you've been dealt Fury, what are you going to do with it." Ethan saw Banner reach behind him for the staff and suddenly realised that this was how Loki planned on unleashing the Hulk. "I'm a monster inside, destruction made solid but you have to be stopped."

Loki was playing with his mind, making him believe that the Hulk was needed to stop Fury. Ethan saw Nat and Fury close there hands around their guns and decided to act. He did the most stupid thing he could but somehow knew it would work.

Ethan leaped forward and punched Bruce across the face. Banner recoiled from the blow and Ethan saw his eyes stretch and he wondered if he had made a mistake but then Ethan saw it was just shock at what he had done. Ethan had broken him out of Loki's suggestions.

Bruce put the staff back down and looked across at the computer which had just bleeped. "Sorry kids, you don't get to see my party trick today."

He looked down at the tracking computer and said "oh my god."

As he said it the room exploded. Ethan was blown back, hitting something that felt almost solid which he realised must be Thor who destroyed the wall behind them as they were thrown into it. His whole body ached and groaned as he rolled off of Thor who had absorbed most of the blow. His ears wear ringing and he was covered in cuts from shrapnel in the room.

Groaning he stood up as Fury called through his earpiece. "Status report."

Hill yelled through it "engine three is down, someone needs to get in there to fix it."

"Stark you hear that?" Fury said.

"On it. Got Rogers with me." They had all been so angry with Fury a minute ago but now they were taking orders. They had voiced their anger and now they had to get back to work.

"Romanov, Jacobs? Report."

Ethan pressed the button on the ear piece and called into it "I'm ok, got Thor."

Nat's voice came through and it sounded painful, "I'm with Banner, we're OK."

Ethan turned to Thor who had gotten up "we have to get to Nat, Banner might let the Hulk loose and you are about the only one who can stand up to him."

Ethan took off down the hallway and Thor followed him close behind. As they turned the corner they heard an echoing roar which caused Thor and Ethan to skid to a stop. The Hulk had gotten free.

"Nat" Ethan mumbled to himself and started running even faster than he had been. They must be in the maintenance areas at the bottom of the ship. Ethan followed the sounds of explosions and roaring. As they ducked down narrow gangways Ethan started to see a smashed path and prayed that Nat had managed to get out of the way.

Ethan turned a corridor to see the Hulk running down it smashing the glass screens, he could just make out Nat running infront of him. He was massive, green and running really fast. Ethan could see why it was one of the only things Nat was afraid of.

Ethan started running towards the Hulk, flicking his wrists to extend his gauntlets as he ran. The Hulk managed to catch up to Nat and hit her, causing her to fly through the air and hit a wall. Ethan ran even faster as he turned to face her, ready to land a killing blow and as he got close he jumped up and pushed off a pipe that was sticking horizontally out of the wall.

He yelled out "Thor" as he punched the Hulk across the face. The blow caused a massive crunching sound and The Hulk stumbled backwards. The gauntlets had added enough onto his strength to push him away.

Ethan stood in front on Nat and held up his arms, the Hulk roared at him but before he could move closer he was intercepted by Thor who flew into him and caused the two of them to crash into the hanger bay.

Ethan turned to Nat who was sitting up but shaking. Ethan knelt down in front of her and said "it's ok, he's gone." She looked up at him but still shook slightly.

Ethan heard Fury's voice call through his earpiece, "we've got hostiles moving towards engine two."

Ethan tapped on his ear and said "I've got them." He pressed the button again and then looked at Nat and said "you gonna be ok?"

She nodded at him slightly so Ethan took of running, going in the opposite direction to the sound of the loud fight between Thor and The Hulk.

As Ethan climbed up through the Carrier he found out what had happened. They had been attacked by a Quinjet, which had to be Barton. As Ethan turned a corridor he saw a pack of SHIELD soldiers making their way down the corridor with the guns raised towards him.

Ethan ducked back around the corner as they started shooting him. The hostiles must be wearing their gear. Ethan extended his left gauntlet and pulled out his gun with the other hand. He breathed out hard before jumping around the corner, spinning in the air and pulling the trigger twice, dropping the first two guards who fell back into the people behind them.

Ethan pushed his gun back into its holster as he landed on one knee and extended his second gauntlet. He ran forward and put them infront of his face where a few bullets pinged off before he was upon the group.

Ethan jumped and grabbed the neck of the first man, snapping it as he slid over his shoulder and kicked the man behind him. He then turned and punched the third man in the stomach, feeling it burst underneath his hand. He then uppercutted the man causing the front part of his head to disintegrate. The fourth man was dropped when Ethan blasted a shotgun round into his chest and the fifth man turned to run.

At least he had the right idea but Ethan flicked his gauntlets closed and pulled an electrodisk from his watch and threw it at the retreating man who fell to the ground shaking. Ethan walked over to him and stamped his foot down on the man's face. The skull cracked under his boot and the man on the ground instantly died.

Ethan heard Fury's voice over the radio. "A medical team just called it, Agent Coulson is dead."

Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. He had to be wrong, Coulson couldn't be dead. Ethan started running to Loki's cage and burst into the room to find Coulson dead on the ground, stabbed in the back. He had a massive gun in his lap.

Ethan sank to his knees next to Coulson's body. He felt empty inside, his heart was beating in an empty socket. Ethan reached across and closed Coulson's eyes. Coulson had been one of the only stable elements of Ethan's new life. Being his handler couldn't have been easy and yet Coulson had been there for him. Loki had gone to far now, he had stepped over the line and Ethan would destroy him for it.

Ethan stood up and locked eyes with Fury. His eyes matched his name in a very rare show of emotion and Ethan knew that his own eyes echoed the feeling.

"We're going to find him and then I'm going to end him for this." Ethan said with rage pumping acid into his voice. Coulson had been the person who was always there for him. Who helped him through missions and had listened to his problems.

Ethan walked away from the body and walked down to the infirmary. His chest still felt empty, the void left behind by Coulson's death was almost overwhelming. There were only two people Ethan felt he could be around right now as they were the ones who relied on Coulson just like him.

Ethan stumbled over the two of them in an infirmary room, Nat and Clint. Ethan had found out the Clint had been freed from Loki's control by Nat whilst he was fighting the group of men. Ethan slid open the door and walked in.

Nat and Clint were sitting next to each other on the bed. Clint looked meekly up at him as he came "Hey Ethan." His voice was horse but warm. They had gotten Clint back.

Ethan fell against the wall and slid down it. "He's the first person, the first that person that I've lost who I cared about. I just feel so angry inside and so hollow. What are we meant to do now?"

Nat leaned forward on the bed and said "we are meant to carry on and finish the mission. Coulson wouldn't have had it any other way."

Ethan nodded. Nat was right, they had to finish the job to make sure that Coulson didn't die for nothing. He looked up at the two super assassins. "How are you feeling Clint?"

"Haven't quite processed everything that happened yet but I'm getting there. I'm sorry for what happened in Germany, I felt like I was going to kill you."

"It doesn't matter now, I know what it's like not to be able to control yourself." Ethan said but Clint furiously shook his head.

"No it's not ok. I was out there, trying to kill you all and help Loki whilst you were hear uniting a team to stop him. I don't even know what would have happened if you weren't here Ethan. Half of them would have torn eachother apart. I don't know how you can do it."

"I barely did anything, I just said that Fury wanted to control us."

Ethan was surprised him by saying "You did more than that. You showed us what really mattered, that saving lives is what we do and that's what we have to do now."

Ethan's communicator bleeped and he looked at it to show that he was requested up on the bridge. "You two stay here and get cleaned up, I will go and help Steve figure out what to do next."

Ethan left the room, he felt that Nat and Clint needed some private time. They were close, closer than Ethan could quite understand and they had to talk some things through. As Ethan walked onto the bridge he looked around and could feel the somber mood in the atmosphere. They had been attacked at home and their own had been killed.

Stark and Steve were sitting at a table in deep thought, Ethan tapped Steve's shoulder as he sat into the chair next to him. Fury walked towards them as he pulled something out of his jacket.

"These were in Coulson's jacket, I guess he never did get a chance to ask you to sign them." Fury threw a pack of cards on the table that were spotted with blood. Steve leaned in and picked them up, his face was plastered over them.

"We're dead in the water up here. we've lost all communications, the location of the cube. Banner. Thor. Lost my one good eye." Fury's voice broke slightly, "maybe I had that coming."

"Yes we were going to build an Arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, called the Avengers Initiative. To bring together the worlds strongest heroes to fight the battles we can't. Phil Coulson died believing in that dream."

They all sat in silence. So Fury had finally played his hand. They were the to be an army. Soldiers to save the world. Ethan felt sick inside, the world rested on their collective shoulders and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it. Ethan stood up quickly and stumbled out of the room.

He ran down the corridors, trying to out run his feelings but they still stayed with him. Ethan eventually found himself for inside the prison where the cage containing Loki had been. He stumbled forward and sat down on the edge of the walkway with his legs dangling of the edge.

It felt odd to be sitting here, less than ten meters away from where Coulson died and he wasn't sure if he could do the job Coulson had expected him to do. Ethan turned his head as Steve came into the room and leaned on the railing next to him.

"I know what you are thinking Ethan. That you can't do this, but you're wrong and I think you know that inside. You are one of the most capable people I've ever met. You grew up in a horrible place but you managed to leave that behind to come and do good. You saved the world twice in a row and then you found a girl who loves you. You went to Paris and stopped what your father was doing and you managed to put an end to one of the biggest smuggling rings in Europe. You even managed to convince a room of the most powerful and volatile people on the planet to see that maybe we could fight for good."

Ethan sighed and said "when you say it like that I sound heroic or something but it never felt that way. I may have convinced that room that we should work together but it's going to be you who leads us Steve. Your the only one we all will trust, you are just so... Incorruptible."

Both of them looked around as Stark walked in, "he's right you know. Cap you may be an idiot sometimes but the kid's not wrong about you being a good leader. We all know that you won't be Fury's lapdog and you may be a half good tactician if my father was right."

Steve looked across at the blood splatter and asked, "did he have anyone."

Stark said "there was a cellist I think." Ethan didn't know that. His heart pulled itself nearly out of his chest as he thought about the people Phil was leaving behind, himself included.

Steve turned to Stark and said "maybe you are right but now we need to put away any differences that we may-"

Stark cut him off and said "he made it personal."

Steve said "that's not the point." Ethan could see a glint in Stark's eyes, he was on to something and Ethan stood up. An energy was flowing through him, he was ready to fight now.

"No that is the point, that was Loki's point. He hit us all where we live but why?" Tony said looking around the room frantically.

"To tear us apart, or at least attempt to." Steve responded.

"Yeah divide and conquer is great and all but he knows he has to take us out to win. He wants to beat us and he want to be seen doing it. He wants and audience. He wants the grande finale... He wants a giant monument with his name plaster-" Stark's eyes suddenly grew, he knew where Loki was! "Son of a bitch."

It suddenly snapped in Ethan's mind as well. Stark tower, it was perfect. Loki could destroy the world from the home of the only known Avenger and the Ark reactor there was the perfect way to quick start the cube.

Panic shot through Ethan. An alien army was going to invade New York and they had to stop them. Ethan pulled out his communicator but he couldn't connect to the SHIELD communication net as the carriers communication rig was still down, maybe he could piggyback onto a cell network closer to the city. Amy was still in the city and she was now in danger and Ethan couldn't let that happen.

Ethan jumped up "We have to get there, thousands of people will die and Amy is still in the city."

Steve nodded and said "You two go get ready, I will get Barton and Romanov. Stark you fly ahead and try and stop the portal. Ethan you try and contact Thor and get him to rendezvous with us there."

Ethan ran out the room and down to his lab. Once he was there he pulled on his combat vest and slipped his gun into its holster and pulled his staff across his shoulder. He then loaded up on several knives that slipped into different slots. Ethan even pulled a few grenades of a shelf, you never know when they could come in handy. Finally he grabbed a small device off his main workbench. As he walked out of the container Ethan pulled up his hood. He was ready to kill.

After Ethan had put on an entire armoury he ran up to the main launch deck. It was freezing and the air was thin but Ethan just ran across the deck and threw the small device he had picked up of the edge. As it fell the small cylinder sprouted wings and started to fly through the air.

Ethan connected to it from his communicator and sent it to the coordinates as a small electrical storm that SHIELD had detected a few minutes ago that was only a few miles behind them. It had to be Thor and Ethan had a little care package for him.

The drone could move very fast and would arrive in less than five minutes so Ethan barely had to wait before his communicator bleeped and saw Thor through the drones nose camera. He fired a small dart out of the drone and keyed in a command. Returning to base flashed across his screen and he put away his communicator.

Ethan now pressed his earbud and said "Thor are you reading this?" Ethan had set up a private communication grid that just included the Avengers. Inside the cylinder that Ethan had fired had been an earbud and a little note that told Thor to put it on.

"I am hearing your voice Ethan. It's is good to hear you." Thor said in a gruff voice.

"Yeah same here. Stark figured out where Loki is. He's going to open a portal at Stark tower over New York, you need to get there now." Ethan said fast.

"Thank you young one, I will see you there." Thor said and Ethan heard a rush of air before the line went dark.

"Triton here, can anyone else hear me?" Ethan said into his earpiece. He had switched to his code name now, he preferred it when he was out on a mission.

"Reading you loud and clear buster." Clint said over the radio and Ethan swore under his breath quietly as a Quinjet rose infront of him. The back ramp was down and Ethan saw Steve standing inside holding a strap on the ceiling. Ethan darted forward and took a running leap off the edge. He felt a stab of fear flow through him as he saw the ground far below him but that quickly faded as he landed inside the jet.

The moment Ethan was inside the ramp pulled up and they powered away. Clint called from the cockpit "Nice of you to drop in" but he yelped at Nat hit him.

"Such a cliche, Ethan come and take the stick. I need to get contact with Stark going." She called to him.

Ethan jogged across the plane and switched out with Nat who was the copilot. She started tapping at a screen.

Steve stood behind him as Ethan checked the weapons systems onboard. "You really tooled up didn't you" Steve said.

Clint laughed and looked at Ethan, "yeah I count at least five knives and four grenades."

Ethan laughed aswell and said "You never know when a grenade will come in handy, and there is another knife in my boot as well."

Steve sat backdown behind him and as Ethan saw the city skyline on the horizon he pulled out his communicator and connected to a network.

As soon as he was connected he pressed Amy's number and called her. She picked up with seconds. "Ethan oh thank god it's you."

Ethan said frantically "Amy where are you? Are you still in New York?"

"Of course I am, I'm at HQ and we are getting some strange reports from midtown. There's a light above Stark Tower flashing into the sky and Iron Man is there. Apparently there is a portal in the sky and things are coming through it."

Ethan felt tension in his chest, "Amy, it's started. You have to try and get somewhere safe. Get out of the city or go deeper into HQ. There must be somewhere secure."

"I'll go down to the labs, they are pretty secure but Ethan what's going on?" Amy said with fear in her voice.

"It's an alien invasion. I'm inbound with Steve, Nat and Clint. We are going to stop them." Ethan said matter of factly.

"Oh god Ethan. You are just a few people. How can you stop an invasion?" Amy said

"We are the only ones who stand a chance. Now I love you so you have to stay safe. You hear me." Ethan said with pain in his voice.

"I love you Ethan, I love you so much." She said with deep emotion rippling through her voice.

"I love you to, now I'll see you soon ok." Ethan said and turned her off before it became too painful not to hear her voice. He turned to Barton, "what about Laura and the kids? Are they going to be safe?" Ethan said but Clint didn't look afraid.

"No they are fine, the moment I was compromised Fury moved them, they are in the Midwest somewhere. It was a contingency plan we roughed out one day incase I was ever turned. I'll go find them after this is all over." He said calmly but Ethan heard pain in his voice as well.

Ethan watched infront of him at the explosions that could be clearly seen from the city. Small ships were darting around and shooting bolts of blue energy that would explode on impact. Ethan also saw the large portal where they were coming from, it was a writhing blue mass in the sky and as Ethan watched it a huge monster seemed to swim through the air out of it. It looked like a cross between a whale and a turtle and it carried a massive shell on its back.

Nat managed to get contact with Stark as they flew through the city. "Stark we are incoming, do you read us?"

Stark's voice came through loud through the speakers. "What, did you stop for drive through? Hurry up, I'm lining them up for you on Park."

Ethan flipped switches on the control panel and and a targeting reticule appeared on the windscreen in front of him as a large calibre Gatling gun lowered under the nose of the jet. Clint manoeuvred them down a road with tall buildings on both sides and Ethan saw a orange streak fly past the end of the road quickly followed by several of the hoverscooters. The reticule lined up with them as they flew passed and Ethan pressed down hard on the button at the back of the joystick.

The first bike exploded as the chain gun fired hundreds of bullets in the few seconds that Ethan fired for closely followed by the next six that came flying past, the debris raining down on the street below. Stark's voice came through the speakers again after Ethan had destroyed the ships following him saying "You better get up to the tower, Thor is fighting Loki up there."

Clint pushed the stick up and they flew straight up, narrowly missing the top of Grand Central Station. They flew around the tower as they climbed it with Clint avoiding the bolts of blew energy that where being fired at them and Ethan shot down a few more ships that were flying towards them.

As they reached the top Clint pulled them out a bit and they got a clear view of Thor and Loki fighting. Both of them were brutally thrusting and smashing with huge amounts of power in their attacks. Ethan span up the gun as Loki turned towards them with his staff outstretched. Ethan managed to shout "look-" before a blue bolt of energy shot from the end and hit one of their engines.

The ship was blasted back and Ethan grabbed the stick, helping Clint keep them level. Ethan looked around out of the front viewscreen and pointed at a square that looked empty and yelled "There."

Clint pushed the stick and managed to pull them out of their spin just long enough for them to crash land straight into the ground. Concrete broke under the nose and shards of rock flew out to the side of them. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck after they had stopped, it had jarred painfully as they landed and pain coursed through it. He quickly followed Clint out of the cockpit and Steve had lowered the back ramp and the four of them ran out into the square. People were running away from Stark tower all around them, some even stopped to look at the four of them running the opposite way.

"We have to get back up there," Steve called to the rest of them but they had to duck behind a pillar as a patrol of ships flew over their heads and blasted the cars behind them. They were on the raised freeway and Ethan saw the people scurrying around below them, trying to get out of the line of fire.

Nat was looking at the front ship and said "Loki." He must of had enough fighting Thor because he seemed to have jumped onto the ship. Two of the aliens jumped off a building and landed in front of them. Ethan pulled out his Glock as fast as lightning and loosened off two shots into their heads causing both of them to fall down.

The four of them ran over to the dead bodies and Ethan saw a humanoid shape but with a scary insect like face that had small beady eyes and sharp teeth. Steve was looking over the edge of the freeway and saw the people trapped in the shops below them. About five or six blocks down a group of police cars were trapped and the police we trying to shoot down the ships.

"There are people trapped down there, I need to get the police rallied and moving. Can you hold them off up here?" Steve said with authority in his voice.

More of the aliens were dropping in front of them and they were pulling out large energy guns. Clint raised his bow and looked at Steve. "Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure." He said as he loosed and arrow into the front Chitauri. The arrowhead opened up and sprayed out bullets that dropped the closest three or four.

Ethan pulled his hood down further over his face and pulled his staff from across his shoulder. Pressing his palm across the central button Ethan pressed down and the pole extended to its full length. A blue shot came from behind them as Ethan spun around to see that another squadron of ten aliens had dropped behind them and were closing on a group of cars that still had people hiding inside of them.

Ethan pointed at the aliens that Clint was firing at and yelled "You two deal with them, I've got that lot." Nat nodded and Ethan turned and started running. He jumped on the bonnet of a yellow taxi and jumped from car to car in huge leaps. The aliens were firing bolts at him but he moved to quickly for them to hit him. It was better for them to be firing at him than the cars with defenceless people inside.

As the first alien came in range Ethan jumped off the final car and spun in the air, smashing his staff into the alien's face causing the skull to whip round and crack. Ethan landed in a roll and shot past the first alien that was collapsing to the floor and swept out the legs of the second alien before bringing his foot down on its face. Juice flew up as Ethan's foot hit the pavement beneath what used to be a head.

There was another alien infront of him but a group of three behind had formed a line like a classic firing squad so Ethan jumped over the closest aliens head and pulled his staff across its neck and twisted it around so it was between him and the front line of enemies. Bolts fired into the thing's chest and left huge holes. Ethan broke its neck just to be sure and dropped off it again to roll towards the firing line and brought his staff up between the first alien's legs.

There must have been something there as its eyes widened and it fell to the floor clutching its crotch but Ethan had already spun his staff around and obliterated the second one's head before the second one had started to fall. Ethan brought his staff down on the third one's arm causing it to screech before he hit it in the stomach causing it to fly back where it was impaled on a jagged edge of a burnt out car chassis.

Ethan crunched the first alien's neck who was on the ground and turned back to the cars, breathing deeply from the sudden activity. Ethan put his staff back in its holster and ran over to the first car and pulled the door open, inside a woman cowered beneath the steering wheel and Ethan pulled her up. "Come on, you have to get out of here." He pointed at a nearby emergency stairwell that would lead back to ground level and she started running for it.

Other people followed as they saw the coast was clear and Ethan shepherded them out even as more aliens landed behind them. Ethan yelled out for everyone to get down and pulled out his gun as blue bolts flew above his head. Ethan loosened of a few shots back and the first line of aliens fell. The second row were dropped by shots from behind Ethan and he turned to see Nat firing at them.

Ethan and her ran back down the line of cars as the final few people escaped from the section Ethan had just been in and found Clint pinned down from heavy fire from at least eight Chitauri. Ethan slid beneath a large trailer baseball style and pulled an electrodisk from his watch as he slid. On the other side of the trailer he threw the disk at the closest alien before pushing of the ground and double kicking the alien next to the first one.

The alien that Ethan kicked flew backwards into two that where standing behind it and they were both executed by Nat who shot them between the eyes. Ethan ducked behind a taxi as the Chitauri closed in on them again with wild shots flying above his head.

Ethan dashed back down the road away from the aliens and dodged from side to side to make himself a difficult target and pulled out a knife from his belt. Ethan jumped over a taxi and rolled in the air, throwing the knife into the throat of the front alien.

Ethan landed hard on the ground, his face pressed a few inches away from the floor. He had landed next to Clint who was firing arrows at the Chitauri, pushing them back. Ethan pointed at a bus that he could see had people trapped inside of it. The door had been blocked by a car pushing into it and Ethan saw that it was mostly school children on board.

Two aliens were running around the side of it and one pulled off a grenade from its belt to throw into the bus. Ethan had to act fast and jumped forward, pushing off the ground using his staff Ethan leaped high into the air. Ethan twirled his staff above his head and pressed down on a new button.

A small whirring sound hummed at the end of the staff and the final foot of staff on both ends split open and pulled back, revealing a wicked looking steel blade that had a razor sharp edge and fierce point. Ethan twisted the staff in the air and he landed on the chest of the first alien, the top blade sliding through the face of the alien like butter. The alien fell backwards and Ethan twirled the staff, ripping through the face of the alien and sliced the second's head in half from the top to the chin.

The idea had come to him after he had upgraded the staff with Thor's Mithril because Ethan needed something sharp to cut through the destroyer if he ever came back.

"Cover me!" Ethan yelled to Barton and Nat who immediately stood up and started firing at the alien mass, pushing them back and focusing their attack on the two agents. Ethan managed to get to the side of the coach and smashed the window on the side. He pushed a car out of the way and motioned for the people to get out. "Come on, you have to get out of here."

The first person of the bus was a big man who started having the smaller kids passed down to him. Ethan stood at the corner, peering around at the aliens down the street, managing to peg a few that were trying to sneak around with his Glock.

Ethan turned back to the man who had four or five small children around him, "Go. Get down to street level," Ethan said whilst pointing at the maintenance stairway. The man looked hesitant but Ethan just glared at him and he seemed to decide not to argue. Ethan managed to pull open the middle doorway and the people streamed off the bus and off the freeway.

Once they had all managed to get out Ethan ran back to join Nat and Clint who were getting pushed back, Clint getting slammed to the floor by an alien before he stabbed it with an arrow though Nat seemed to have figured out how the alien guns fire as she managed to blast one with the energy.

Just as another wave of aliens landed a shield suddenly flew from below them and killed three of them before Captain America jumped up next to them and pulled his shield out of a corpse. Suddenly the next group of aliens were all electrocuted as lightning rained down upon them and Thor dropped next to them.

They all walked forward and Steve asked "What's the news upstairs?"

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable" Thor said darkly. Ethan knelt down and pulled out the knives that were in his boots and put them in his belt to replace the ones he had lost before he checked his staff to make sure it was still working.

Stark's voice chimed in through the radio saying "Yeah and these things aren't letting up."

Nat turned to face Steve and asked "how do we do this?" She looked dirty but her eyes were full of energy.

"As a team." Steve said simply. Ethan felt a stab of pride run through him as he looked around at them all. Here they were, saving the world. Steve turned to look up and pointed at the sky "We've got Stark up top." But he was cut off by a motorbike that roared near them.

Ethan whipped around to see Bruce stopping just near them. He dismounted the bike and walked slowly towards them. Ethan walked forward and punched Banner lightly on the arm. "You had us for a minute but I knew you weren't dead." Ethan pressed his earpiece and said "Stark, Banner turned up."

"Well tell him to suit up, I'm bringing the party to you." Tony said with a small stab at humour. They all turned to the end of the avenue where Stark had just flown around the corner, closely followed by the giant turtle monster that smashed through the skyscraper on the corner.


	21. Chapter 21

Ethan laughed slightly and heard Nat say "I don't see how that's a party" before turning to Banner and said.

"Are you ok with doing this? I know you don't like getting angry."

Banner nodded and started walking towards the monster that was spending towards them. Ethan walked back to stand next to Thor.

As the beast got disturbingly close to Banner he turned and looked back at the team. "That's my trick you see... I'm always angry."

As Bruce turned back towards the Leviathan he grew in size, his muscles becoming huge and his whole body turned green. The Hulk punched the nose of the beast and it stopped flying towards them. It's tail pushed up and the whole thing would roll over but Stark flew up and shot a missile into its back.

The explosion was massive above them and Thor pulled Ethan down bellow his outstretched arm which shielded him from most of the shrapnel.

All of a sudden a horn sounded and the seven Avengers looked up at the sky to see more leviathans pouring through with countless ships accompanying them.

Chitauri landed on the buildings overshadowing the team on both sides as they formed a loose circle. They were all ready for the oncoming fight as Nat reloaded her weapons, Clint pulled out an arrow, Thor twirled his hammer, Stark opened up boosters, Steve pulled his shield further up his arm and Ethan spun his staff infront of him. Oh and the Hulk roared as well.

"Call it Cap'in." Stark said looking around at the aliens that were roaring at them.

Steve pointed at the tallest building close by and said, "Barton, you're up top. Call out patterns and strays." Steve then turned to Stark and said "Stark you are on border patrol, anything gets more than three blocks out you turn it back or turn it to ash."

"Got it" Stark said quickly before he turned to Clint who asked, "Can you give me a lift?"

Stark grabbed the back of his jacket and said "Better clench up Legolas" before he shot them both into the sky.

Steve then turned to Thor and said "I need you to bottleneck that portal. You've got the Lightning, light the basterds up." Thor grimaced and started spinning Mjolnir. He took to the sky within seconds and was flying incredibly fast between the skyscrapers.

Finally Steve looked around, almost forgetting the Hulk but he just pointed at the aliens and said "Hulk... Smash." The Hulk grinned and jumped into the air, smashing alien after alien on the side of the buildings.

Once the others had gone Steve turned to Nat and Ethan and said "We've got to keep the fight here on the ground and focused on us. The more they try and kill us the more they aren't trying to kill innocent civilians."

Ethan just spun around and threw his staff like a javelin into the first alien who was trying to sneak down the road towards him. He ran and pulled his staff out before throwing himself back into the nexus of death he was creating.

Ethan seemed to lose track of time, he was flipping and spinning, stabbing and tearing but he almost felt distance from the carnage he was reaping. He moved effortlessly through the ranks of advancing aliens, tearing them swiftly apart. At some points Steve would be next to him and at others he would be on his own. He saw Nat's red hair flying around him at one point but he just moved on and destroyed more.

Finally after what could have been hours or minutes, the aliens finally stopped coming and Ethan had a moment to rest. He landed heavily, coming out of the sudden bloodlust just as quickly as he had gotten into it. Steve and Nat both looked tired, they had been fighting hard and Ethan knew he must mirror their faces because he could feel the ache deep in his arms and legs.

Nat was looking up at Stark tower and said "None of this matters if we can't close the portal."

"Our biggest weapons couldn't dent it." Steve said. Ethan tensed as he saw more aliens coming towards them and readied his staff for more fighting.

"Well maybe it's not about firepower, I need a lift up there but I could use a hand getting it." Nat said and Ethan realised that she was looking at the speeder bikes that were flying overhead.

Steve raised and eyebrow and said "You sure about this?"

"Yeah it will be fun." Nat said with a big grin. She was enjoying this far to much to stay safe. As Nat leaped of Steve's shield Ethan had already thrown himself back into the alien mass, taking out several in single swings of his staff.

The occasional arrow hit an alien that Ethan was about to kill and he knew that Clint was watching over him from above but maybe he just wanted him dead as he said through the radio, "Cap, there's a bank on West 33rd where they cornered a lot of civvies and Ethan, I can see a bus down on East 31st which has people still inside."

Ethan grinned at Steve before jumping of the side of the freeway. He span in the air before shooting the grappling hook in his watch which latched onto the side and slowed his fall to the ground. The moment his feet were on the ground Ethan started running, dodging between burning car wrecks and vaulting streetlights and lampposts that had fallen down.

He even had time to kill the occasional alien that was stalking around the city before he found the bus on 31st. Only now it was surrounded by aliens. Ethan leaped into action immediately, jumping and landing hard on one alien whilst slicing apart another. He managed to duck, stab and spin until every alien around the bus were just corpses on the floor and Ethan managed to pull the front windscreen out to let people out.

People started streaming off the bus and said "Thank you so much."

"If you hadn't been here..."

"Like a tiny ninja..."

"Where did he learn to do that..."

Ethan shepherded them into a large building with thick concrete reinforcements where another man held open a door to a basement level. It was as safe a place as anywhere but Ethan was still disturbed by a woman screaming. "My child, my baby. He is still on the bus."

Ethan looked to see that there was a kid still on the bus. He looked to only be six or seven and he had his leg trapped in a seat near the back of the bus. More aliens had dropped near them now and Ethan had to be quick to get to the kid. He pushed his staff back into its holster and jumped forward, leaping off of car bonnets and landing in the front of the bus.

The kid looked terrified and cowered before him but Ethan just knelt down next to him and pulled down his hood. Ethan thought back to when he had been seven. Daily weapons practices and extreme physical exercises had been highlights of the day. Ethan knew that he had to save this boy, he couldn't let anyone else be hurt in this fight.

Ethan murmured quietly to the boy "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you. Is you leg trapped?"

The boy nodded and Ethan flicked his wrist to extend his gauntlet on his left hand. Ethan used it to punch the seat of its binding and it flew out of a window. Ethan picked up the small boy and pulled his hood back up. He held the boy in his arm as he jumped out of the front window only to see three Chitauri with their guns trained on him.

Ethan spun around and managed to raise his gauntlet between him and the aliens as he shielded the kid. The blast from their guns created a massive explosion off of Ethan's gauntlet which shot back at them and consumed all three of them.

Ethan was just blasted of his feet. Still holding the boy he crashed through the first floor of a shop. His vision was hazy and grey and he looked around. The boy looked mostly unhurt, though he did cradle his arm which looked broken. A group of people ran into the shop and the boy jumped into his mothers arms who had been the first person to run in.

Ethan managed to pick himself up but a hand grabbed his shoulder. A gruff voice spoke in his ear, "Stay still, I'm a doctor. You've just been blown up, you shouldn't move."

Ethan shrugged of the man's arm and pulled himself up, only swaying slightly from the pain in his head that throbbed darkly. He could feel unconsciousness calling him but he refused to give into the easy call. Ethan shook his head and pulled his hood back up.

"I'll be fine, there are still people to save." Ethan said with a sad smile but the mother of the boy came up to him and said

"You saved my boy. I can never repay you. Who are you even? We don't know anything about what's happening." The mother of the little boy was hugging her son close. Ethan felt some warmth in his chest as he saw the loving family. He wondered what it would have been like to grow up with someone who cared about him like that. Ethan shook his head, he had to stay in the game.

Ethan flicked his right hand and the gauntlet expanded over it, just like his left. He ran forward and jumped out of the window. Just before he ran of he turned back and said "Aliens are attacking, you have to get clear, my name is E- I'm Triton."

With that Ethan ran off to find more aliens to fight with a renewed energy. He mercifully used his gauntlets, instantly killing aliens all around him. The only thing that managed to break through his bloodlust was Nat's voice over the radio. "I can close it. Can anyone hear me?"

Steve's voice came over loud and strong, "Do it."

But Stark's voice came back instantly "No don't do it, we've got a nuke inbound and I know just where to put it." A Nuke! What had Fury done, had he really authorised an nuclear strike against New York. Then Ethan realised that is couldn't of been Fury, they were still alive and Ethan had seen the belief in Fury that the Avengers would be their strongest weapon. This must be the security council overriding his decision.

Ethan started running back to Steve's position, finding him standing with Thor, watching as Tony Stark pushed a missile through a portal in the sky. They were all surprised that he had done it. Tony never was the one who sacrifice himself for the rest of mankind.

They stood there for a minute but nothing came back from the other side. Steve's face fell as he told Nat to close the portal. Ethan felt fear gripping at him now, Stark couldn't be dead, it just couldn't happen even if he had just push a missile into space.

All of a sudden all the aliens that Ethan could see dropped to the floor, Stark must have taken out something important and it was over now.

Ethan fell back against a car and sat on the bonnet, looking up at the portal with silent prayers. The blue light powering the portal shut down and the circle immediately started shrinking. The hole was getting smaller and smaller and Ethan strained his eyes to try and look closer.

Just as the portal was finally closing a small red dot shot through it. Ethan jumped up and whooped. Steve said "Son of a gun."

But Stark wasn't flying, he was falling and didn't look to be attempting to himself. "He's not slowing down!" Ethan yelled. Thor started spinning up his hammer but it wasn't necessary as suddenly The Hulk jumped from nowhere and caught Stark, holding him close as he landed.

Steve, Thor and Ethan all ran to where Banner had landed and Clint had also made his way there. Everyone looked battered. Thor looked ok but he had super skin so couldn't be hurt as easily but Steve had a huge burn mark across his chest. Clint looked battered as well with some cuts across his face and arms.

Ethan knew that he probably looked the worst as he saw himself in a car windscreen and saw that shrapnel was lodged in his arm and he was covered in cuts and burns. It didn't hurt that much but he was still running on adrenaline.

The Hulk had thrown Stark on the floor and Thor pulled his face plate off. The man wasn't breathing and his eyes where closed. They all looked at eachother, knowing it was too late and Ethan knelt down next to Stark.

Suddenly The Hulk roared and Ethan nearly passed out. It had the opposite effect on Stark though, his eyes flew open and he yelled out.

"Woah, Ho. Please tell me no one kissed me. What happened?" Stark said with huge eyes.

They all smirked and Ethan leaned back and Steve said "We won."

Stark made some feeble movements on the ground and said "ok guys, let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's take a few days. Hey does anyone wanna get Shawarma?"

Thor looked up darkly up at the tower and said "We are not done yet."

Ethan grimaced, eager for a face off with Loki. Ethan pulled Stark up whose suit opened up to enable him to get up. Ethan pulled Stark's arm around his neck and half carried him to the lobby before they go into the elevator.

They opened out into Stark's living room and the Hulk landed on the balcony and Nat dropped down next to him carrying Loki's sceptre. Loki was pulling himself outside of the hole that Banner had buried him in and the Avengers all moved over to him. Clint knelt infront of him and notched an arrow right in his face and the rest all stood in his vision.

Loki looked up at them all and said in a defeated voice "If it's all the same to you, I would take that drink now."

Thor walked forward and grabbed his brother under the arm and pulled him out of the building. They all made their way back to ground level where a circle of black SUVs had appeared around the base of the tower.

"Ethan!" Was all Ethan heard before he was hit by a flying ball of Blonde hair. Ethan breathed in deep and smelled Amy's strawberry scent and felt so happy to be back with her. He gasped slightly as she hugged him and she pulled back. "Oh I'm so sorry, you must be really hurt and-"

Ethan cut her off by kissing her. They locked lips and folded into eachother, becoming one in a small space. The whole world might as well have stopped spinning for all Ethan cared. He was only broken out of his love when he heard Loki clearing his throat.

"Though touching, I do believe I was being escorted to prison." Two agents came forward holding a huge pair of handcuffs between them. They clamped them firmly around Loki's arms and they locked with a loud thud. They walked away with Loki between them.

Tony said to the rest of them "so shawarma anyone?" They all laughed.

Less than twenty minutes later, the eight of them were sitting around a table with packets of food on the table. The cafe was mostly destroyed and the owner was sweeping in the corner.

Ethan held Amy's hand who sat on the seat next to him. They crunched their food silently, held in awe by what they had just managed to accomplished. Once they had all finished, Thor said "I will need an open space to go home from with Loki tomorrow. I would recommend an open park."

Clint said "We can set it up in Central Park to clear the area. Shouldn't be this hard really."

Ethan stood up and pulled Amy up with him, he felt exhausted and needed to get home for a wash. "I'll see you both there tomorrow then, ten o'clock sound good." Steve nodded and Ethan took his que to leave.


	22. Chapter 22

Amy and Ethan managed to get a company SUV to drop them off back home, Ethan's apartment was mercifully unscathed even though several others nearby had some new large windows. Ethan and Amy went inside and Amy pushed him onto the couch.

"Sit still while I clean you up." Amy said whilst she rummaged around his kitchen to find his medical kit.

Ethan leaned back on the couch and turned on the TV, flicking through until he found the news. The only thing on was them.

"Recent news has come to us stating that this group is called the Avengers and that the code names for the team that includes Tony Stark's Iron Man and Captain America are Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Triton. The Hulk was also seen." the screen flicked between different blurry pictures of them with some short video clips thrown in. It was good that his face seemed to have been completely obscured. "We go over now to our team on the ground who have been interviewing survivors who survived this all."

Amy sat down next to him and pulled off his combat vest. As she was pulling at it Ethan said "You aren't even going to ask me out to dinner first?" Amy laughed and poked him in the ribs as she got a better look at his injuries.

He mostly just had small cuts and bruises from being battered around for a few hours but he had a few nasty burns from energy blasters. Amy started cleaning the cuts whilst Qs attention turned back to the TV.

The news was quickly cutting between different interviews with people who looked to be in different states of injury and disheveledness.

"I was just looking out the window before it exploded."

"The one with the bow and arrow pulled me out of my car."

Ethan saw that they had managed to find the man that Ethan had saved on the bus early into the fight, "the small one, whatever he was called. He flipped and span and stuff and managed to save over ten kids on the bus we were trapped in on the freeway."

Amy lay down on his chest and nuzzled him slightly, "I'm so proud of what you managed to do today, I don't know how you are still standing after all that. It was bloody amazing. How are you handling it?"

"Oh I don't know, they weren't the best fighters really, just packed a big stick. How were things back at HQ?" Ethan said as he played with her blonde locks.

"You're deflecting away from talking about it." Ethan just grinned at her and she sighed, "things went ok at HQ. The security teams managed to keep the place on lockdown and I didn't hear anything in the secure labs. I was with Dr Kleinheart most of the time." Amy said.

"That's good, Kleinhart is a good man." Ethan's attention was suddenly caught by the TV which was showing a shaky cellphone video of him running out onto the bus where the kid was trapped. The chair went out of a window before you could see him jump out holding the kid. Ethan's face was turned away from the camera but you could see his black hair quite clearly.

Amy gasped as he got blasted through a window by the aliens and hugged Ethan tighter. The screen then cut to the mother who was in an ambulance with holding her son, whose arm was in a sling.

The reporter asked her, "So you saw Triton up close? What did he do? What did he look like?"

The mom smiled at the camera and said, "He looked like a young boy. He could move so fast and was so strong. He had the brightest green eyes, like emeralds. He saved my son, he jumped straight into that bus and saved him. When he blasted through that shop window I thought the worst for both of them but we found them and he had shielded my boy and was lying there near dead."

The reporter looked back to the camera and said "There we have a detailed event about Triton, back to you in the studio."

The camera cut back to the studio where the same group of three anchors who had tried to figure out who he was after Paris were talking.

"So this is the second large scale destruction event in the past few weeks in major cities. Is this just going to get worse?" The first anchor said.

"They were hardly the same, one being the destruction of a secret laboratory and the other a freaking alien invasion. Maybe we can expect more, maybe we can't but I think we just have to remain vigilant." The second anchor said.

The third anchor, who had been looking through pictures, said "We need to discuss who these superheroes are. I mean there is obviously Iron Man who I think we all know and Captain America has already been explained to us. I want to know who the rest of them are?"

The second anchor pulled up a picture of the Hulk and said "I think we all know who this is, though how someone let him help after the Harlem incident I don't know although he does seem to have a larger amount of control now. So maybe we can assume that the Hulk is safe now."

"What about this Shakespeare dude." The first anchor and found a picture of Thor, "His name is Thor? We know nothing about him apart from that he resembles the ancient Norse god of thunder. I would like to say that he can't be real but then I remember that we were just attacked by aliens."

The other two anchors laughed nervously and the third one said "Yeah let's not open that can of worms, I wanna look at the last three Avengers. They all appear to be human but with super fighting abilities. They have almost superhuman reaction times. Who could they be?"

The second anchor looked at some pictures and said "Well the younger one is defiantly the one from Paris who was with Captain America. Along with the two older ones I want to say that they are SHIELD agents. They have that right semi army, semi ninja look about them."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, even though I didn't think that that young boy would be a member of SHIELD. As always this raises more questions then it answers."

The TV shut off as Amy pressed a button on the remote, "I didn't really think about how many people you saved, it just hit me when I saw you pull that boy out of the bus."

"I've been thinking about that mom for ages. She loved her boy so much, I just wanted to know what it would be like to grow up like that. With somebody who loved you." Ethan said with a twinge of sadness running through his voice.

Amy pulled herself up Ethan and kissed him, "well you have someone who loves you now. Those people would be dead now if you weren't there, just remember that."

Ethan kissed her back and pulled her up. She rose with him and the two were still locked together. Amy broke away and pulled him towards the stairs which the two of them quickly disappeared up.

Ethan blinked his eyes open, sunlight was streaming in through the windows and Amy had been stirring. Ethan looked around the room which was a mess from the night before. Their clothes were strewn across the floor and Ethan's mind seemed to glow as he

thought about what they had done.

It had just so felt so right and powerful between them and Ethan only loved Amy more now even though he had been terrified. His training had included seduction techniques because they may have been necessary but they hadn't focused on them because Ethan was a guy. This meant that Ethan didn't quite know what to do but they had quickly gotten passed that.

Ethan was broken out of his revelry when Amy pushed him out the bed and mumbled something about coffee and Ethan pulled himself out of bed and reached for some underwear which he pulled on before grabbing a t-shirt.

Ethan went downstairs to start making some coffee and started cooking breakfast. Amy came downstairs wearing a blue top of Ethan's and the same jeans she had worn the day before. She kissed Ethan before slumping herself down on the breakfast bar. Ethan slid a plate of bacon and eggs and said "Bon Appetite."

"Mmmmmmm, tastes so good. I've been thinking though. We should get out of New York for s few days, just until everything has calmed down a little. Whatcha think?" Amy said to him with big blue eyes.

"Sure, how about London. I've never been and there is someone I want to meet." Ethan said whilst checking his emails. He hadn't gotten any and felt a stab of sadness hit him as he remembered that it would have been Coulson who would've kept an eye on him.

Ethan closed down the emails and instead opened a travel website where he booked two tickets to London for later that day. The price didn't matter much as Ethan still had a healthy bank balance. Ethan closed his laptop and said "Do you want me to drop you off at your place and then to pick you up later?"

"Yeah, as long as your going to be fine seeing off Loki." Amy said with concern in her eyes.

"Oh I think he isn't getting off light. From what Thor said, I think their father is pretty pissed with him to be honest. I'm going to be fine watching him go." Ethan said.

They whittled away the last hour before they had to go by canoodling on the couch and Ethan quickly found himself alone in his car showing his badge to a guard that was blocking off the road through to Central Park. Ethan parked his Ferrari next to Clint's car. Steve, Nat, Stark, Banner and Clint were all waiting on the bridge.

Steve was talking to Bruce, saying "So you are living with Stark now?"

"Ahh, Brucy couldn't stay away, a few days back in a lab and he can't leave." Steve said with a patronising tone.

"No, I'm just trying to make a better world Tony. Talking about a better world, it's about to get much brighter." Bruce said whilst watching Thor get out of a van with Eric Selvig. He opened the side door and pulled out Loki, who wore huge cuffs and a mouth gag. All the Avengers watched as Thor led Loki to the centre of the bridge and turned to Selvig who carried the Tesseract in a contained cylinder.

Thor took the handle and offered the other one to Loki who begrudgingly took it and turned. Suddenly a huge burst of rainbow lights flew up around them and Ethan saw two shadows flung into the sky before the light shut off leaving markings on the floor.

Once Thor and Loki had left with the cube, Steve turned to Selvig and said "I'm surprised that Fury let them leave with the cube."

"Actually, he didn't argue at all. I think he finally realised that the Tesseract is more danger than it's worth." Selvig said with a gruff voice.

Ethan interjected, saying "Well at least he can see that now. Anyway, I've got to go. Me and Amy are going to London for a few days, just until everything blows over."

"Have fun kiddo." Stark said patronisingly.

As Ethan walked back to his car he called over his shoulder "Shut up Stark."

Ethan quickly made his way back to Amy's apartment where she was waiting for him on the sidewalk with her case. She got in next to him and kissed him on the cheek. "How was it?" She said.

"Oddly satisfying." Ethan said with a smirk as he pulled away.

"Well at least you got closure and it's better this way. He can face proper punishment rather than just being shot which is probably what Fury advised." Amy said as New York whizzed passed them. "I'm still worried about you though, SHIELD has put you through so much recently. Are you sure you can still do this?"

"I know I have to because I'm one of the only people who can. I've just have to be the person who stands up to evil, especially after I did such bad things before." Ethan said with steel in his voice.

"You can't know how proud I am of your Avenging but is it really giving your life over, our life together. You could do so much to help the world without risking your life everyday." Amy said with a slight pleading tone.

Ethan said softly "I'll be fine Amy. SHIELD can help people and I want to be a part of that."

"I know that it's just that I'm so worried for you. Any day I could get someone at my house saying that you won't be coming home." Amy said. Ethan looked at her and saw a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Amy, I promise you that I will never leave you alone. I will always come back for you." Ethan said strongly. He hoped that would be enough and felt love course through him when she grinned and smiled.

The two of them didn't talk much after that until they had reached London, they just enjoyed being near eachother and didn't need to say anything. On touching down in London, Ethan managed to hail a taxi which led them out of the city and into the countryside. About an hour out of London the taxi pulled up at a large cottage which was nestled amongst tall trees. The taxi dropped them off at the end of a long road and Ethan breathed in the deep fresh air.

Amy looked around at the house and the woods, "Ethan, what are we doing here?"

"Remember when I said there was someone I wanted to meet. Well this is where she lives." Ethan said as he held out his hand for Amy. She took it and they walked towards the door of the cottage. Ethan knocked lightly and heard a strong English voice call to him.

"It's open, come in."

Ethan pushed open the door and walked inside to find a small living room that smelt strongly of lavender. The room was a light shade of blue with plush sofas covering most of the floor space. An old lady sat on a chair in the corner.

Ethan saw that she looked frail with sallow skin and grey hair but when she turned to look at them Ethan saw fierce eyes.

Ethan motioned towards her and said to Amy "Amy Waters, may I introduce Agent Margaret Carter, founding member of SHIELD."

Amy gasped and covered her mouth before saying "Ma'am, it's such an honour to meet you."

The older lady's eyes softened and she smiled at the two agents standing in her living room. "Oh do sit down you two, you look so awkward just standing there. And please, call me Peggy." The two of them sat down next to each other on a couch and Peggy carried on "Now as you know Ethan, I've been dying to meet you since I received your file. I still don't miss many things considering my age. Once I found out that it was you who found Steve..." Her voice caught slightly and she coughed to clear her voice. "Well I knew I had to meet you."

"Does he know you are still alive?" Ethan asked quietly.

"I'm sure someone told him, he will contact me when he is ready. Though I was still so proud to see him in New York, along with you if I'm not mistaken."

Ethan smirked slightly "Well you wouldn't be wrong. Steve, he is leading us... The Avengers."

"Pfft, stupid name. It should have been something stronger than that but it's to late now. I trust you with it though, your team. I may trust Fury about as much as anyone can but this needed a human touch. You have no idea how much I had to twist his arm to make sure it wasn't just another SHIELD STRIKE team. At least I still hold some sway over him." She said with a strong voice that Ethan equated with someone who wasn't to be messed with.

Amy laughed from next to Ethan "It's funny to think that anyone could twist Fury's arm."

Peggy winked at her and said "If only you knew how. Still" she turned back to Ethan "How have you been finding our little organisation?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it little but I've been doing some good I think. It's been good to work with some actual humans rather than with no one." Ethan said calmly.

"Well that's good to hear at least. To be honest I was expecting you to say that they are all arseholes. How are you handling Phil's death though. He really was the best and I heard he was close to you." As Peggy said it Ethan clenched his knuckles which went white.

"Coulson was a great man. He was one of the first people to believe in me." Ethan said with a strained voice.

"Well I'm afraid that it's unavoidable in our business. Danger haunts us constantly and maybe that's why we work so well." Peggy said whilst Ethan stared at the ground. She must have caught on as she said "Well enough of that, what else has gone on."

Their visit with the legendary Agent passed by quickly after that. They mostly talked about unimportant things. Past missions, interesting people and such. They stayed so late that it was dark by the time that the couple were ready to leave. As they stood up to leave Peggy clasped her hand to her head and exclaimed "Oh bollocks, I almost forgot."

She picked up a small black box which she passed to Ethan. Ethan opened it. Inside was a small silver key which Ethan picked up and examined in the light.

Peggy pointed at it and said "That's a very special key, I'm putting a lot of trust in you by giving you this Agent Jacobs. This opens many doors in SHIELD, quite literally really so your going to have to promise not to use it unless you really need to. Now you two really should be going before it gets to late."

As Ethan turned towards the door Amy didn't move but instead said "I just have one last question. I've met Steve and he is great and everything, really believes that the best thing he could do is protect innocent people. Well, the question really is, is that why you did all this? Started SHIELD? To honour his memory or carry on his dream?"

Peggy laughed loudly before leaning in and clasping Amy's hand "That's exactly why we started SHIELD, though you have no idea how long it took to come up with the words to fit the acronym."

An hour later Ethan and Amy were back in the hotel room. Ethan was sitting on the bed looking at the key in its little black box whilst Amy was having a shower. Ethan was so far deep in thought that he didn't notice that Amy had come out of the bathroom and sat next to him wrapped in a towel.

Amy rested a hand on the top of the box and pushed it closed, "You don't want to think about what that key means, SHIELD keeps secrets for a reason. Most of them it would be better if we didn't know. You trust that you are doing the right thing so it's better not to think about breaking into SHIELD right now."

Ethan looked up at her and realised she was right "Yeah, it's better to not dwell on it i suppose. Just carry on with the job. Trust the system"

Amy smiled and leaned in to kiss him. Ethan fell back onto the bed as their kiss deepened and the towel fell away.

The rest of the trip is in London wasn't nearly as eventful as meeting a legendary agent but the two of them enjoyed it. They saw all the sights and relished in being seen as just ordinary tourists from America without having to look over their shoulders for aliens or monsters.

The news about New York was everywhere, people were constantly talking about it wherever the two of them went. Most people were still trying to figure out the remaining Avengers and how aliens had attacked but most people were just wondering if they were safe or these attacks were going to continue.

Ethan laughed at most of the gossip, especially the guy who was furiously yelling at his friend that all of the Avengers were secret robots, but nobody would be able to guess the truth about them.


	23. Chapter 23

Seven days after they had left New York they were back. The city seemed to be recovering from the event, there was no more smoke billowing into the sky which was good. As Ethan walked down the street everyone around him seemed to have gotten back to work, just avoiding any holes in the sidewalk.

Ethan was ready to go back to work but he was temporarily stationed on the Helicarrier so he would have to get a ride up there from HQ. As he walked in the front door, people started looking his way. This was different to when he had just been a new agent or after New Mexico, that had just been awe at what he had done. Now it went beyond that, people seemed to revere him, they fell back as he walked past as if they were scared of what he would do to them.

Ethan just ignored the looks and shot up in elevator to the hanger. He walked across the deck before noticing that someone was shadowing him. Ethan spun around on the ball of his foot and stared at the man. He was tall with dark hair and the way he held himself made it clear that he was an operative.

"What do you want?" Ethan said in his most authoritative voice

"Just passing a message along, you've been ordered to report to the Hub instead of the Helicarrier, I've been ordered to accompany you." The man said with a strong voice

"And what's your name then?" Ethan said with suspicion in his tone. The Hub was SHIELD's central control centre. It was under a mountain somewhere in The Rockies, nobody quite knew. Why he was being ordered there he would never know.

"I'm agent Grant Ward" he said as he walked away from towards a jet. Ethan had heard about Grant Ward, one of SHIELD's top agents who was rivalling Romanov for hand to hand combat skills.

Ethan followed Ward closely as they got into the jet which lifted off as soon as they were on board. Ethan sat down on one of the uncomfortable seats in the back, opposite to Ward.

Ethan said "So what do they want with me over there?"

"Probably a mission or maybe they want you to meet some top brass. I don't know and I really don't care. I haven't slept for twenty two hours now." Grant said without any emotion in his voice. He just meant back against the wall and closed his eyes.

Ethan decide not to piss him off so just pulled out his phone. He started tapping at a new game he had downloaded whilst he waited. It turned out that he didn't need to wait long as The Hub was only forty minutes away and Grant got off the plane as soon as they touched down.

Ethan followed him close behind. They exited onto a huge hanger deck which had hundreds of people running around it. Quinjets were everywhere and there were even some luxury planes around, maybe if top SHIELD personnel needed to ride in style but by far, the most dominating thing in the room was a huge four engined beast which looked like it shouldn't be able to move let alone fly.

"SHIELD has the most modern aircraft in the world." A woman's voice from behind Ethan said.

Ethan spun around to see Victoria Hand, a level eight top SHIELD agent. Ethan was glad that Nat had made him read up on all the top SHIELD brass so he wouldn't look like an idiot in the next few seconds. Ethan raised his hand and she shook it briefly with a vice grip.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am" Ethan said remembering that his woman was technically his superior.

"Likewise" the stern lady said before swiftly turning and walking away from him. Ethan followed quickly behind as she carried on talking to him "Your recent work has showed great results and we hope to carry on wielding you as a weapon for world peace."

Ethan didn't like how she wanted to 'wield' him but maybe this woman was just old fashioned in her speech. They wove there way deeper into the massive SHIELD complex, where Fury got the funding for all this Ethan would never know but it obviously showed the good results that SHIELD was able to get.

Agent Ward was following them and was almost stopped at the door to a meeting room as his clearance level wasn't high enough but Hand shooed the guards away. Ethan sat down opposite Ward at the briefing table and Hand stood at the tip.

"Now, Agents Ward and Jacobs. Director Fury has missions sent through for both of you. Jacobs you will be required to attend a later briefing." Ward said efficiently. If he was being briefed later than why was he here? "Whereas Ward, you will be a part of a new task force. Both of you have heard the news of Agent Coulson?"

Grant Leander forward at he table and said "Yes ma'am, I'm level six so I have read the report of agent Coulson's death in New York."

Ethan tensed slightly, Coulson's was still a fresh cut but he twisted around as he heard movement behind him. A dead man's voice spoke from behind him, "Welcome to level seven Agent Ward." Phil Coulson was standing in the corner, alive as anyone else I the room.

Ethan leaped forward and grabbed Coulson by his suit. "What the hell is this. How are you alive? I saw you dead. You had a hole a foot wide through your heart."

Coulson just smiled, unperturbed by Ethan's outburst. "Let me go Ethan, I will explain." Ethan relinquished him and leaned back against the table, anger at being mislead rushing through him. "I was dead for about forty seconds."

"8, you can't keep making it longer like that." Hand cut in.

"Whatever, well Fury wanted to keep my survival a secret, especially from the Avengers because I was the push you all needed to fight. Fury was still against telling you about my survival but that would have just been cruel for you, though I would ask that you refrain from telling the rest of your team." Coulson said calmly with his annoying smile.

"Fury should have told me before now," Ethan pointed at Coulson "and you shouldn't ask me to not tell the team. We have to trust each other."

Coulson laughed again and said "oh don't be naive Ethan. The rest of the team would freak, Stark and Banner don't trust us, Thor doesn't know better and we are trying to recruit Steve. Clint and Nat already know the way SHIELD is and can move on. Only you I thought would have trouble considering your history and experience."

Ethan leaned back and sighed. He supposed that Coulson hadn't told him for the right reasons and he would have to accept that. He was a SHIELD agent so getting used to doing bad things for good reasons was the whole point of his job.

Victoria Hand broke through his thought by slapping a file down on the table. "Well it is lovely to have this catch up but we have a mission to brief Agent Ward on and I believe you are needed down the hall Agent Jacobs."

Ethan took that as his que to leave and rose from his chair. Crossing quickly across the room Ethan stopped at the open door and turned back to Coulson, "It's good to see you though Phil." He said before leaving.

Ethan strode confidently down the hallway towards his meeting. Finding the right door, Ethan silently slipped in as Maria Hill was already talking. Inside sat a blonde woman and who Ethan recognised but couldn't name. Ethan looked around and saw that they were the only three in the room so his entrance didn't go unnoticed.

"Ahhhh, Agent Jacobs, good of you to join us. This is Agent Thirteen-"

"Oh that's where I recognised you from." Ethan held out his hand which Agent Thirteen shook, "you're Peggy Carter's niece aren't you. I had the pleasure to meet your aunt recently. I'm Ethan Jacobs by the way"

"Yeah I knew that. I didn't realise you had met my great aunt though, she's an amazing woman and all, but most people don't know I'm related to her. I don't want any special treatment." She said not unkindly.

"No of course not, though I don't quite have that problem." Ethan said with a grin.

"God you couldn't be more wrong. You're an Avenger. You couldn't get more special treatment if you wanted it. I mean I'm a little in awe right now and I pride myself on being professional." Agent Thirteen said with some professionalism coming through in her voice.

Hill cut in before they could carry on their conversation, saying "As I started saying before this catch up, we have had to transfer all mission preparation off of the Helicarrier due to some... Structural damage."

Ethan laughed inwardly, he had read the reports on how badly Clint had managed to wreck their base.

Ethan's laughter was cut off by Hill carrying on talking, "so for now I will be briefing you from here." She clicked a button on her tablet and the TV screen behind her flicked on. A face Ethan recognised appeared on it. The face was a balding grey haired man who looked to be over sixty. He was looking around after getting out of a car in a tailored suit.

Ethan leaned on as he pulled up the mission file on the table. The new tech allowed him to access the file from pretty much any clear surface in any SHIELD base, it was something Stark had cooked up and Fury had paid pretty penny for it.

The file confirmed what Ethan knew. The man was Anthony Herschal, leader of the largest smuggling ring on the planet. Ethan had done some work for him before he had joined SHIELD, killing off some competition. Ethan remembered that the man was ruthless and brutal when it came to business.

"What do you want me to do? Kill him?" Ethan said sarcastically. This guy was so paranoid that he never showed his face in public so there would be no way to find him.

"No, that isn't a priority right now. What is though is that we have reports through that large number of alien weapons have slipped through clean up and are being shipped around the globe, your mission is to track them down. Our intel shows that Herschal has representatives in Berlin. We are going to send you into an orphanage there, because it's known that twelve to sixteen year old children are recruited to carry packages across borders quite regularly. Thankfully you can still look young."

Ethan leaned back in his chair and groaned, "Well, I'll take that as a compliment, though you better not make me stick around in a school for to long."

Hill smirked, "No, the home we are sending you to is pretty rough, it's estimated that barely a quarter of them bother to go to school so you are fine there." She pressed another button and another face appeared on the screen behind her. This was another older man who was laughing at the camera. "This is Fredrick Dummnell. He is the head of the staff and, judging from his bank account everytime one of the kids goes missing from his home, is in charge of recruitment. Drop a hint to this guy that you want out of there and you'll be moved quick. The faster they grab you the less questions are asked. Agent thirteen will be your contact back to HQ, you will have her number to message her. Any problem?"

Ethan shook his head, "It's pretty simple really. Go in, get recruited and then find the weapons. When do I go?"

Hill glanced at her watch, "You leave in an hour, so don't be late to the hanger."

Ethan got up from the table and left the room, walking down corridors to a large changing room. He found some civilian clothes that fit him in a locker before hearing the door open behind him and Barton walked in.

"Didn't realise that you where here. How's your family by the way? You managed to find them ok?" Ethan said with concern in his voice for his best friend, coming back from mind control couldn't be easy, especially if you had put your own friends in danger. Clint had nearly killed Ethan and Ethan saw that memory in Clint everytime the assassin looked back at him.

Clint leaned against a locker, barely looking at Ethan. After a minute of silence between them where Ethan mindlessly sorted his gear Clint finally spoke up. "Laura... Well Laura... She is trying to understand but she can't quite do it. She doesn't know how lucky she is, to have never... never killed someone."

Ethan stood up and walked over to his best friend. "Clint, listen to yourself. You did nothing wrong, you were taken and we got you back. No one could blame you for what you did, you just have to stop blaming yourself now."

Clint just nodded slightly, Ethan felt how broken inside the man was. No one else except possibly Nat would be able to see it in him but it was there, like a wounded animal that needed time to heal.

Clint carried on with a cracked voice, "The missions are fine. To save the planet and stop the bad guys, that's what I do. It's just, when I fought you, I almost killed you. I look at the kids and Laura and all I can see is me choking you, how can I know I won't hurt them?"

Ethan laughed, he couldn't stop himself. Just laughter came through from all that Clint had said, and how much of an idiot he was. Clint just looked confused so Ethan said "You are such an idiot Barton, you are one of the best people I know who would do anything to protect the people he wanted to protect and you think you could hurt your wife." Ethan just laughed harder.

Ethan's watch started bleeping, he was supposed to be in the hanger taking off so he turned and started walking towards the door. Just before he left the room he turned back to see Clint still standing motionless by the locker and said "You know Clint, it sometimes takes a fall to see how far we've climbed, think about that. Oh and stop mopping around and go spend some time with your family before Fury pulls you out for a Psych eval."


	24. Chapter 24

Three hours later Ethan found himself waiting on a bench outside of Berlin's largest airport. He was wearing a hoodie and jeans with a small bag with a few changes of clothes. He wasn't meant to have much and it would raise suspicion if he had anything too fancy. Ethan just felt a bit exposed without any guns or knives or even his staff. No obvious weapons or he would be found out instantly so Ethan had to go in just with his watch and wrist bracelet.

Ethan was waiting for a car to pull up but he had been sitting there for three quarters of an hour longer than expected so he was starting to get worried that something had gone wrong in the mission. His fears wear abated when an old Volkswagen Golf pulled up at the curb and Fredrick Dummnell got out. He seems slightly scatterbrained as he looked around before noticing Ethan.

"Ahh there you are." The man said in strong German, "My name is Fredrick, though the kids would never be that kind as to call me that. I am the head of staff at our little home. Better get in fast though, we have to be back within the hour or we will miss dinner."

He motioned for Ethan to get in the back seat and Ethan slipped into the car and stared out the window, playing the bored teenager.

Dummnell got into the drivers seat and pulled the car away. As they drove along the main road into the city he asked Ethan questions such as where he had been before which Ethan managed to answer with the fake background that he had been given. Dummnell seemed to be a pleasant man even if he was forcing orphaned children into smuggling.

Thirty minutes later they arrived back at the orphanage. It was a run down building with shabby exteriors and abandoned houses either side. Hill hadn't been joking when she said that this place was rough. Dummnell was explaining to him the rules of the place as they crossed the lawn. "Well you'll be one of the older ones in there you see so I don't think you'll have any problem with the other kids, just don't let them gang up on you." Dummnell looked up at the house, "You'll be at the top, I know it doesn't look like much but we try and make do."

Ethan just smirked at the place before looking out down the street, "I'd prefer my chances down there, never really liked homes like this." Dummnell smirked as well, the seed was placed. Ethan expected to taken from the home within a few days.

Dummnell walked across the lawn, passing broken toys and scattered cigarette butts and Ethan followed him closely. As the door was pushed open Ethan was almost deafened by the noise coming from inside. Young kids screaming and some older voices yelling at eachother. Ethan quickly stepped inside to see people everywhere, all trying to get at a table off food which stood against one wall.

There were some tiny kids, who couldn't be more than six, pushing through but most of the kids looked to be ten to fourteen and they were just knocking the small ones out of the way. Ethan pushed past a group of girls babbling about some singer and started up some stairs. He found his room right at the top, up three flights of stairs to the attic, with a plaque that read 16+ written across it. Ethan pushed open the door and slipped inside and looked around the small room which had two bunk beds in it.

A small lamp was on in the corner away from the door and a small boy was sitting on the bed looking through a telescope. He hadn't noticed Ethan who had slipped into the room silently but whipped around when Ethan cleared his throat. The boy had short brown hair and looked tiny against the bed, not unlike Ethan had looked six or seven years ago though Ethan's hair was lighter. The boy looked terrified when Ethan caught him and his eyes darted frantically around for an escape.

Ethan just laughed and sat down on the bed, "I'm not going to hurt you, you know. So stop looking so scared. What are you doing up here when it's time for dinner?" Ethan said in German. He used a local accent as he was meant to be a local boy. He laughed inwardly at remembering his accent practices, he had once been forced to run for hours after he made fun of the Scottish accent he was practising.

The boy seemed to relax slightly but he still looked tense, as if Ethan would still jump at him any second. He sat back against the bed frame and said very quitely, "the... the other boys don't like it when I get in their way. They don't like me that much so I stay up here. I'll get out now though, you're just the first sixteen year old for awhile. You... You are sixteen aren't you?." Ethan laughed a the boy questioning his age, he supposed that he still was very small compadre to other sixteen year olds but he was still growing at five foot six. It was probably a good thing that Amy was short as well or it could have been awkward for them.

The boy had an odd accent that sounded slightly British so Ethan looked at the door and took a chance, saying in English with a south east accent. "Yeah they seem to be a bad lot."

The kid's eyes widened and he spoke back in the similar posh accent, "oh wow, you are the first person to speak proper English around here, where are you from?"

Ethan quickly thought up a lie that was better than the truth and said "I used to live in Kent but when my mum died I came to live in Germany with my dad before he vanished as well. That's why I was sent here."

"Oh, that's sad. I'm sorry about your parents dying. My father was an English languages professors at Berlin University but he left when I was six. I've pretty much grown up in this place. Im Oliver Hunt by the way." Oliver said in a rush as if he was so excited just to talk to someone.

"Well I'm Jake, Jake Queen." Ethan said. Ethan thought back to the deep cover training he had received at the Red Room. They had kept him locked in a room without food or water for four days trying to se if he would give up his 'secret' identity.

"What where you doing though before I came in?" Ethan said curiously. The mission was going to progress now no matter what he did so he might as well kick back and make a friend.

Oliver looked back at the telescope. "I was just looking at the stars, they look so nice up there. It makes me forget about everything down here. It will be much better soon though."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, he felt there was more to this now. "What will get better?"

Oliver seemed hesitant before "Dummnell said that I'm going to a new home soon, tomorrow in fact and he said that it will be much better and that I be much better off though I wasn't meant to tell anyone," came spilling out of him.

Shit Ethan thought though he kept his face completely neutral, this kid has been caught up in whatever smuggling operation Dummnell is a part of.

Ethan forced a smile, this little boy seemed so happy that for once in his life something good was happening to him so Ethan wasn't going to ruin that just yet. It wasn't as if he could tell him the truth and force Oliver to not go, any hint that Ethan knew about the smuggling ring and it would go underground. Ethan just hoped that maybe he could look out for Oliver.

Ethan settled down for the next few hours of the evening. Oliver insisted on telling Ethan all about the star constellations that were in the sky tonight. He seemed to be an intelligent kid, with a good interest in physics. He wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up so he could go and see the stars up close.

Nearing eleven o'clock at night Ethan heard someone thumping up the stairs, Oliver was already asleep in the bed opposite so Ethan got up silently and crept to the door. Ethan peeled it open and slipped into the hallway, peering towards the other end in the darkness. Dummnell was whispering quietly into a cellphone and Ethan could only just hear what they were saying, even with his sharp hearing.

"What are you saying you need more? I'm already sending one to you tomorrow, yes the special one! ... Fine, I'll grab someone else. Yes fine... Fine I get it, Ha-" Something thumped in a bedroom and Dummnell broke off and looked up. He hung up the phone and started to walk along the corridor towards Ethan.

Ethan was still hideout in the shadows but he couldn't be found listening in or he would be found out. Ethan scrambled backwards silently, looking around for a place to hide. Ethan saw a perfect spot and jumped up onto the windowsill. Looking out at the nights sky Ethan decided to play it off rather than hide as Dummnell walked past him.

Ethan gave a false start and jumped off the windowsill. Dummnell almost jumped as badly and cursed loudly before catching himself because most people in the house where asleep.

"What on earth are you still doing up Oliver? You know house rules are to sleep by ten thirty."

Ethan looked apologetically at his shoes and said, "I'm really sorry sir, it's just I never sleep on the first day in a new house. I just liked looking at the stars you see, they look so nice tonight." Ethan put on the perfect apologising teen, he even convinced himself that he was just some idiot kid caught in the act.

Dummnell's eyes softened slightly as he smiled, "I understand how hard it can be to settle in, but I have some news for you there though. I'm sorry to say but we just had a call in. Apparently there was some misfiled paperwork and you've been sent to the wrong home. It happens every now and again you know so tomorrow I will be taking you across town. You'll be moving with another kid so let's say about three thirty when he is out of school. Ok?"

Ethan nodded and Dummnell told him to get to bed so Ethan slipped across the hallway into his room with Oliver. Hill hadn't been wrong when she said that they would want to move him fast but why were they moving Oliver, he had been around for years and would probably be missed.

Ethan decided to probe Oliver in the morning but now he had to get some sleep so he rolled over in bed and closed his eyes. Sadly he didn't get much rest.

Ethan looked around the dark corridor, this wasn't right. His dreams had been in the Red Room and this wasn't it. Ethan started running down the corridor and looked around. There were no doors save for the one at the end of the corridor. Ethan reached it and pressed his hand against the cold smooth metal. The door had no handle so Ethan simply kicked it down. Stepping through the doorway Ethan saw a hospital room with a single bed in it. Someone was in the bed but Ethan couldn't see their face they were shrouded by something. Ethan tried to walk forward but couldn't move, something was holding him back.

A voice started in the back of his head, it was smooth and light like a soft song bird. "No, you can not see yet. You are not ready, but soon. Soon..." The woman's voice drifted away and Ethan started to fall back into blackness.

Ethan woke with a start in his bed in the orphanage. He pushed himself up, he was a sheet of cold sweat. Oliver was sitting on his bed watching Ethan.

"You were moaning in your sleep, saying 'stop stop stop'. What was happening?" He said with a slightly scared voice.

Ethan just shook his head, saying "Nothing, it was just a... It was just a bad dream." Ethan coughed and shivered, it felt cold in the room even though it was morning with light streaming through the curtains.

Oliver swung out of bed and said "I would have woken you but I was worried you wouldn't want to be woken up and well, my mum used to say, that bad dreams had to be faced, that they tell you what to do when you're awake."

Ethan leaned back against the headboard, his heart race slowing down. "She must have been a very cleaver woman."

Oliver smiled as he walked over to the door, "yeah, she was, though I can barely remember her." With that Oliver walked out the door and Ethan was left alone to mull over his dream.

He didn't have anything to do all day since Oliver was at school and they wouldn't be collect till after he got back so Ethan decided to go for a run through the city. He kept to a low speed so as to not draw attention but he liked being back out in fresh air, away from his life of fighting and killing. He knew that that all would come back in just a few hours so he enjoyed what he could now. He just wished that Amy could have been there, she made his life so perfect and that was more than he could ask for considering how many lives he had forcefully made unperfect, or nonexistent in most cases.

After a few hours running Ethan found himself sitting in a park watching hundreds of people go by. There were mothers pushing prams and talking to their friends and young couples out walking together. Small kids played near him with a ball and Ethan couldn't help but think what it would be like for him to be out here. Walking through the park with Amy, watching their son run around, kick a ball. He could have sat there for hours, watching the kids have arguments and fights but he would have to get back soon.

Ethan made it back to the orphanage at two in the afternoon and sent a quick message to agent thirteen using a hidden feature of his watch and sat down to wait. Oliver made it back to the house at three, Ethan was surprised at how early school ended because he had trained for fourteen hours a day when he was Oliver's age. The easy life some people lead.

Oliver was so excited, he was bouncing around the room packing all his things, which pitifully fit into a small carry case except for the telescope which had its own little bag. Ethan hadn't bothered to unpack any clothes so all he had to do was bring his bag downstairs. Before Oliver could speed off Ethan managed to grab him and say, "Let's not talk English infront of anyone shall we. I don't want them to think anything strange, and besides lets just keep that as our little language ok?" Ethan hadn't thought that speaking English to the boy might lead to his cover being blown but Oliver Queen wasn't meant to be able to speak English. Oliver gave a confused look but agreed.

At the exact second three thirty struck Oliver picked up his bag to race downstairs and Ethan followed slightly slower behind. Dummnell was waiting for them and he swiftly shepherded them into a car, different to the one that he brought Ethan in from the airport. Ethan saw that Dummnell looked furtive when he got into the car, like he didn't want to be seen. As soon as the two boys where in the car he sped away and across the city. Oliver looked and marvelled at the sights of the city which he rarely saw but grew more confused when they drove out of the city and into the countryside.

Ethan wasn't surprised though when they pulled up at a private airfield about thirty minutes from the city.

"Now you two, there has been a slight change of plans. You two are going to meet a group of kids that you will be travelling with, they are just around the corner. Go on you two." Dummnell said in a skittish voice. He seemed nervous about getting caught.

Oliver looked very confused, "but what about all our stuff, and the home across the city?"

Dummnell smiled but still looked nervous. "Oh don't worry about that, it's all being sent on after you. Now go."

Ethan opened the door and pulled Oliver out with him. Dummnell pulled away immediately. Oliver gave a little cry and said "But how will he give our stuff to the pl-"

Ethan interrupted Oliver by pulling him close as he bent down. "Oliver, listen to me. Whatever happens now, you must stick close to me. You promise?"

Oliver looked scared as he shakily said "I promise, but why would something go wrong?"

Ethan scanned around and said "I don't know, I've just got a feeling." Ethan grabbed Oliver's hand and pulled him towards the airplane hanger. There where meant to be other children here, others forced into smuggling but Ethan couldn't see anyone. He couldn't see a plane either but there had to be one inside the hanger.

About twenty yards from the hanger men in combat armour burst out of a main door with assault rifles aimed at Ethan. Oliver squealed and hid behind Ethan. He had been right, this was no ordinary kidnapping and Ethan had to act fast to keep Oliver safe. Ethan counted six guards in all, this wouldn't be to hard.

He stood motionless until the first guard got within five meters of him before he lashed out and grabbed the man, spinning him around and using him as a shield as the other five all shot at him. Five tranquilliser darts stuck into the soldier's armour, at least they weren't trying to kill him.

The soldier in Ethan's arms immediately slumped and Ethan jumped over his falling body and kicked a second guard in the face before dropping and sweeping the third's feet out from under him. More darts shot above his head as he rolled forward and shot an electrodisk out of his watch which dropped a fourth guard. The fifth and sixth soldiers where dropped when Ethan managed to slam their heads together with enough force to crack their visors.

Once all the guards were taken out Ethan surveyed the area and pulled a sidearm out of a holster of the last guard. He checked it and it had live rounds. Ethan looked back at Oliver who hadn't moved, just stared at what Ethan had done.

Ethan started walking back to him and said "Come on, they won't stay down for lon-" but Ethan was stopped by clapping coming from behind him. It was a slow rhythmic clap. It was HIS clap but it couldn't be, not again.


	25. Chapter 25

Ethan turned quickly and brought his gun up, level with his father's face.

"Tsk tsk. Is that the proper way to greet family." His father said in drawling Russian.

"How are you hear, how are you alive? Answer me now." Ethan shouted at his father, also in Russian.

Oliver pulled at his shirt and said "Olie, who is he? Why are you pointing a gun at him?"

Ethan said nothing but tensed at his father started to walk towards him. His father switched to near perfect English and said "Oh yes, we haven't met have we. My name is Anton Jacobs, scientist extrodinare and we are going to have such fun together."

Ethan stepped infront of Oliver and said "You won't go any nearer him."

"Oh no, then something bad might happen." As Anton said it twenty more guards burst from the hanger and levelled their guns at Ethan and Oliver, little red dots appearing on both their chests just to prove a point. Ethan knew he was beat and dropped the gun, raising his hands above his head. A second after he was shot with a dart and blackness rushed over his eyes as he fell down.

Ethan was back in the long corridor with the metal door at the end. Ethan rushed towards it again and pushed it open.

The hospital room hadn't changed at all, the machines were still bleeping and ticking away but the person in the bed was still in shadow. Ethan pushed forward this time, feeling the old barrier that had stopped him last time shatter as he walked through it.

Ethan moved to the end of the bed and pushed the light that stood there forward, slowly. He was afraid of what was in the bed. Who would be kept locked away down here.

As Ethan pushed the light forward, more of the body came into focus. It was a woman lying on the bed. She looked bloated with pale withered skin. She hadn't seen the sun for months. Ethan tried to stop himself pushing the light forward further but couldn't his arms were locked in motion, the light rising up the woman's body.

The light reached her chin and Ethan saw an outline. It was a young face, with soft curves that were made harsh by the sharp ridges. Her skin was tight and sallow but the light just travelled further up her face. It hit her mouth with soft red lips and then her nose which was small and round. Her eyes were the worst though. They were sunken and hollow... With Emerald Pupils.

Ethan gasped and pushed himself back, shaking his head hard. "No... No No nononono. You can't be. You can't."

The woman in the bed held out her hand and rasped. She beckoned for Ethan to come closer and Ethan felt himself moving. He took her hand and felt the soft skin underneath.

She suddenly closed her hand like a vice and pulled him close. Ethan wasn't expecting it and fell forward, catching himself only a foot away from his mothers face. Ethan marvelled at how similar their eyes were, exactly the same shade.

She seemed to be scanning him, drinking in his face. Suddenly she said "God. I haven't seen you before. Not like this, not older." Her voice was soft and smooth, like a soft lullaby tune. "I'm so sorry. All your life. Oh my boy."

She shook slightly and tears started to fall down her cheeks. Ethan leaned forward and wiped her cheek with his sleeve. Ethan turned around to see a chair which he pulled close and sat down in, still holding his mother's hand.

"I... Don't understand. How are you here? This feels so real but I know that it can't be." Ethan said, slightly stuttering. He felt like his senses were being overloaded, it made no sense. He was dreaming but it wasn't fake.

"I can't explain. Your father will tell you. I just wanted to see you. See you properly not as the assassin that they will train you to be but as the man I've seen you grow into. I've seen so much of your life Ethan, it makes me so happy to see you now. You've found love, a family, more than I could hope for."

A huge crash boomed from behind them. Ethan's mother tensed up and looked around before pulling Ethan close again. "I don't have long. Listen to me, you have to stop him. Anton... He will do terrible things. Down below there is a private lab, you will find what you are looking for when you know that you are looking for it."

Ethan felt so confused, his mother was making no sense. They were in a dream, how would they run out of time? "What are you saying? What do you mean?" Ethan felt fear course through him, fear at losing his mother again. The mother he never had, barely even knew existed.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't see you more but you have to go now." The banging was getting louder, closing in on them. "I already miss you so much. Look after yourself, and Amy. Oh and watch out for Oliver as well. He will need your help soon and don't despair after today. It will be over after not to long."

Ethan felt himself being pulled backwards, upwards and out of his dream. He tried to pull back but the force was to strong and he couldn't stop it. He couldn't stop seeing her though, down below him. His mother whom he had never seen and he was losing her for the final time.

"I... I love you Ethan, so much." Was the last thing he heard before blackness clouded his vision again.

Ethan came to with a start in a large comfy chair which had a cream leather finish. He started and looked around to see that they were in the cabin of a luxury plane with four chairs facing eachother on the centre. Oliver was sitting next to him, looking out the window and Anton sat opposite Ethan.

Ethan started to panic, his dream was so real that he wasn't sure that it hadn't been. What was he going to do if it had been, there was no way it could have been though, or could it?

Ethan looked down at the small table in between them to see his watch, which had been disassembled, and bracelet lying there. Ethan reached out for them only to find his hands cuffed. He sighed heavily and lent back in the chair. His father was watching him with gloating eyes.

Ethan had to play this down, act calm even though he was a wreck inside. He rolled his eyes and said, "OK I'll bite, how are you alive?" Ethan heard Oliver start as he realised that Ethan was awake. He still looked terrified.

Ethan's father grinned and said "Oh it's quite easy to wirelessly download ones conscience into a cloned body once you figure out how, by which I'm lying and will say that it was immeasurably painful, especially after being shot."

"It's only a shame I hadn't shot each of your limbs off first then." Ethan said with hatred coursing through his voice. "How did you find out about my mission?"

"Well that would spoil the surprise, but I will tell you how happy I was by the coincidence that you met our mutual friend Master Hunt." Anton said with glee running through his voice. He was enjoying this far to much and Ethan hated him more for it. "Though I don't think you were being quite honest were you?" He turned to Oliver and said, "This boy is Agent Ethan Jacobs of SHIELD, sent to shut down my little laboratory for procuring Chitauri weapons after the Battle of New York. Though he would know more about that, wouldn't you Triton?"

Oliver gasped and said in a small voice, "You're an Avenger! That's how you took down all those men. I can't believe I've been in the same room as you."

"Well I can promise you that being in the same room as him doesn't always end well." Anton said with a slight laugh.

Oliver, surprisingly, managed to hold his head high and say "Then you must be an evil man if an Avenger has to stop you."

Anton laughed derisively at that before turning back to Ethan. "You have him well trained to work that one out."

"Leave him out of this, he's just a kid. What would you want with him anyway, you had me or at least more clones of me." Ethan said. His father was a genius madman scientist. If he wanted Oliver than Ethan doubted Oliver would survive, or if he did whether he would want to.

"Oh he's more than just a kid, so much more." A mad glint ran through Anton's eyes and Ethan felt afraid for the first time in a long time, he finally had something to lose, something that was right infront of him. Anton pushed himself to his feet and before saying, "Now I must go check with the pilot, we must be nearly there. You were asleep for such a long time."

With that Ethan's boogyman walked away from them. The moment the door out of the cabin shut Ethan started straining at his cuffs. They were heavy duty locks which he would have a lot of trouble breaking. Ethan had nothing to pick the lock with so he lent back in resignation. He couldn't escape and his watch was in ten pieces infront of him.

Oliver had lent in close to Ethan and whispered "Can you get us out of here?"

Ethan just stared into the young boy's eyes and shook his head. There was nothing he could do right now but he wouldn't give up hope, that was what Amy had taught him. That even when things might look bad there is always a possibility to make it better. Suddenly an idea popped into Ethan's head that was almost certain to fail but it was worth trying anyway.

"Oliver, pass me that big part of my watch." Oliver reached onto the table and grabbed the largest part of the broken device, knocking the others as he did it. "Pass it here, quickly"

Oliver placed the piece, which looked like a small box with a single button on it, into Ethan's Palm where he flipped it over and pushed it deep down his sleeve. "What was that" Oliver said in a tiny whisper.

Before Ethan could answer his father burst back into the room before stopping dead and watched them. Ethan barely dared to breath as his father's vision swept back and forth between them before he must have decided that there was nothing going on and walked further into the room.

"It's your lucky day you two, you get to see my little fun house." Anton said as he sat back down in his chair. Ethan couldn't tell whether he had worked that the watch part was missing.

Ethan stayed calm though and looked out the window as they broke through the clouds. Shit was the only word Ethan could think when he saw where they were.

Sand stretched onwards for miles, Ethan couldn't see anything anywhere nearby except for a small clump of buildings which were nestled alone amongst the dunes. They touched down on a small landing strip which was very close to the main building of the compound.

Anton unlocked Ethan's cuffs once they had touched down and Ethan tensed, ready to strike out but his father just laughed. "One hair misplaced off my head and your little friend dies." Ethan sighed and slumped back whilst his father chuckled.

Ethan grabbed Ollie's hand as he followed Anton off the plane and onto concrete. The surface had been worn down by years of sand and everything was gritty and converted in a thin layer of dust. Guards where waiting everywhere, at least ten acting as an honour guard off the plane. More where waiting outside the main building where the two boys were led.

Anton pushed open the large doors for them and Ethan stepped inside, pulling Oliver with him. Inside where plain white walls, no windows or decorations. It was his father's touch, utilitarian and almost military. Guards pushed him down the hallway with Anton following them.

They wove their way down endless corridors, passing bland doors with metal numbers on them but nothing more than that identifying them. Ethan looked down every corridor they passed, searching for it. He knew it had to be here, the room where he had seen her.

Ethan couldn't almost feel that they were closing in on it. Every corner seemed to leap out at him until he finally looked down one and fell back. His face had drained of colour and he tripped slightly. It was the same corridor, the same one from his dream. The two soldiers behind him pushed him slightly but he didn't budge. He just stared down the corridor.

Anton came level with him and stared into his eyes. Ethan knew that he had given himself away, that he had seen this before. Ethan was surprised though when his father's face whitened. He was afraid, Ethan could see it in his eyes, but what could he be afraid of.

Anton looked down the hallway and back at Ethan. "You've seen it before haven't you, she showed you it didn't she." Ethan remained passive, not moving a muscle. Anton grabbed his collar and yelled in his face "didn't she!"

Ethan couldn't take it any longer. He struck out, hard, hitting his father full in the face with a powerful headbutt. Anton stumbled back, clutching his nose whilst two guards grabbed Ethan but Ethan had snapped as well. He couldn't hold back his anger anymore and he let it pour out of him.

"You killed her. You brought her here and she gave birth and then you killed her. You're a monster, how could you do that. How could anyone do that." Ethan spat at the man lying on the ground. He wanted to kill him, to hurt him so badly that he would never move again. Only a faint voice in the back of his head told him that he couldn't. That they would kill Oliver if he did and that's the only thing that saved his father's life.

"Take them to the holding cell, keep them secure. I need to accelerate my plans." His father said quietly. He barely managed to get the words out, he sounded terrified. Something was going to happen and soon by the sounds of it.

The guards pulled them Ethan away and Oliver followed meekly behind. They carried on down dark corridors until finally Ethan was pushed inside a room that had a huge thick slab of steel instead of a door which, once Oliver was also pushed inside, was slid across our the hole in the wall offering no escape.

Ethan let out a sigh as the door shut and slid down a wall. There was a small bulb hanging from a loose wire in the centre of the room but no windows. The door was a smooth sheet of metal from this side, with no way of forcing it open. There was no way of getting out of this room.

Oliver walked across the bar box and sat down in front of Ethan. "Um, Oliver... Or Mister, um Avenger-"

"Ethan, call me Ethan." Ethan managed to say in a horse whisper. His throat was rough and sore from shouting.

"Ethan, well um. What's going to happen to us? That man was evil and he said he wanted me! What could he want with me?" Oliver said timidly, Ethan could see fear in him, the boy was scare for his life. This must be terrifying for him. Ethan had been locked in cells for most of his life and attacked the rest of the time but the boy sitting in front of him he probably had never even been in an actual fight.

"That man was my father." Oliver's eyes flared in surprise, "Yeah I know, he must have skipped parenting classes because evil scientists don't make the best parents. As to what he wants with us, I don't know." There had to be a connection somewhere, something that connected Oliver to this place. Ethan looked back at Oliver and asked him, "Ollie, you need to think hard. Has anything happened recently, anything different at all?"

Oliver looked a bit confused so Ethan said, "tell me everything that's been slightly different in the last few weeks."

Oliver like looked deep in thought. "Well Dummnell has been nicer to me recently, he even brought me sweets but that must have been because of all this." Oliver gestured around the cell. "Oh and Matt from the house was punching my arm a lot... Oh and I made friends with a cat from next door."

Something clicked in Ethan's mind and he ran with it, "wait go back"

"What to the cat-" Oliver said confused.

"No, the arm. Why was Matt punching your arm?" Ethan said whilst grabbing Oscars arm and pulling up the sleeve. Near his shoulder there was a neat plaster.

"We all had tests, to see if we needed some vaccine. They did it at school and sent the results off. We were meant to get them back soon and see if we needed a shot." Oscars face seemed to go from confusion to sudden realisation. "What, you think they found something in my blood, something that could make them come after me?"

"It has to be, otherwise they would have come for you sooner." Ethan said. At least he knew why Oliver was targeted, but they were no closer to why. And what did Anton want with him. He went to a lot of trouble to bring Ethan here when he could have just killed him. "But that doesn't matter now anyway" Ethan looked around the room trying to spot cameras. Could they really be stupid enough not to put any in?

Well Ethan hoped so as he reached into his sleeve and pulled out the little box that they had taken from the plane. Oliver grinned at Ethan, a spark flickered behind his eyes as if for the first time he thought everything was going to be ok.

Ethan pulled the cover off the box. It was actually the radio transmitter which he would use to communicate back to base with and with a little bit of luck it might still work. Ethan pressed a small switch on the motherboard which was a manual override to send out a signal but it was completely fried.

"Shit, damm thing's busted." The board had a long crack going through it which must have wrecked the thing.

"I don't think it is. My dad used to have some radios at home. He loved fixing them up, he could work miracles with electronics. Let me have a look at it." Oliver said. It couldn't hurt so Ethan handed the small circuit over to the boy which he quickly took and moved over to the light. Ethan leaned back against the wall and watched Oliver fiddle with the little board. He sat near the door to try and listen out down the corridor to see if anyone was coming.

Twenty minutes later Oliver came back to sit down in front of Ethan and showed him his finished work. He had twisted and pushed the metal contacts carefully back together in such a way that Ethan doubted that he could have done it without some specialised tools.

"That's brilliant, you may have just gotten us out of here." Ethan said quickly as he pushed himself up fast and reached up for the lightbulb.

"What are you doing? That could fry you if you aren't careful." Oliver said looking concerned but he still had energy racing through his eyes.

Ethan grimaced as he pull the light of the wires, leaving two cables hanging down from the ceiling. Ethan pulled them and they extended all the way to the floor where Ethan managed to sit down with the small square lying on the cold floor.

"You stay by the door, this board isn't going to last long and when in goes the whole system will short out which will make them come running. Give me as much time as you can. I'm gonna try to send out a SOS but I have to do it on a secure frequency otherwise it will probably be intercepted, we've just got to hope that someone is listening." Ethan said quickly. Once he had stop speaking he immediately jammed the wires onto the board and tapped out an SOS signal using the wires to send bursts of radio transmissions.

It lasted six seconds before the board sparked and Ethan heard power being shut off to the whole facility. "Did it work?" Oliver whispered quietly.

"We'll know in about two hours and thirty seven minutes if it was picked up. Nothing we can do except wait." Ethan said as he cracked the circuit board and slid the remains into a dark corner. It was almost pitch black in the room now with no light coming from under the door. Ethan could hear someone coming down the corridor and pulled Oliver back away from the door and pushed the boy behind him.

The door burst open and three men carrying huge assault rifles which were all aimed at Ethan. Oliver clutched the back of Ethan's jacket as Ethan raised his hands.

"Been having problems have you?" Ethan said sarcastically.

"What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Anton burst into the room screaming at the two boys. Oliver tried to slide further behind Ethan, he was shaking slightly and Ethan reached round and grabbed Oliver's hand, holding him steady.

Even Ethan felt a stab of fear go through him. Anton was as white as a sheet and looked deranged. Even worse was that he looked dangerous and Ethan was worried what the man could do.

The fear was quickly replaced with anger though, and hatred towards the man infront of him. The man who had murdered his mother. "We didn't do anything to the lights." Oliver said in a small voice behind Ethan. Thankfully he sounded to timid to be suspicious so Ethan held his breath until Anton turned and stalked back to the door. On the threshold he turned back to the guards and said "Bring them to the labs."

The three guards stalked forward, still with their guns raised so Ethan just raised his eyebrows and sighed before turning to look at Oliver. "Come on then, we better not keep him waiting." He said as he pulled Oliver between the guards and walked down the corridor following his father.

Deep in the facility Ethan walked through big double doors into a huge laboratory what looked almost identical to the one he had destroyed under the Louvre.

"I won't have any lookalike surprises down here will I, because I'm really not in the mood to have a fight with myself again." Ethan said spitting acid at his father who had killed Ethan's clone after it showed the smallest of weaknesses.

Anton was bent over a worktable but his neck flicked around to look at Ethan when he spoke. He looked mad with a glint in his eye that screamed crazy. Ethan pushed Oliver behind him again but two guards grabbed him under the arms and pulled him away. Ethan lunged for him but found nearly twenty rifles being pointed into his face.

Anton stood back and gestured to a large dentist chair. "If you would sit down, I would hate to make poor Oliver's day harder than it already is." Ethan strolled across the room leisurely before lowering himself comfortably into the chair. The moment he sat down large straps secured his arms and legs into the seat. His father sat down in a steel office chair opposite him. Oliver was pushed down and strapped into a large examine table that was almost vertical. He looked almost comical in it as it was made for a much larger man by its shape.

"Is this the part where you explain to me your evil plan before I miraculously escape and save the day?" Ethan said smugly.

Anton smirked before nodding to the guard next to Ethan who slammed the butt of his rifle hard into Ethan's jaw. It hurt like hell and was throbbing painfully as Ethan clicked it slightly. Oliver looked at Ethan with huge blue eyes, he was terrified. Ethan made a silent pact to himself then. That what ever happened next, he would get Oliver out of here safe and sound.

Anton leaned in close to Ethan, "This won't end that well Ethan, I think you know that. But I think you do deserve some answers, for coming this far." He got up and walked to a table, fiddling with a large syringe before walking back to Ethan and sticking it into his arm. He pulled the plunger and dark blood seeped through the needle.

"Your mother was a very special woman Ethan. Yes, very special." Anton put heavy emphasis on special. His father was staring into the distance, he must have been miles away in his memory's. "She could see the future you know. Just glimpses, very rare but very powerful each time they happened. We were happy for a time. I was a lecturer at Culver University and she was a teacher at the local primary school. We met just after I had been approached to do some very interesting research into advanced genetic alteration. It was the foundation for our super soldier serum that we used on you. Then one day I came home and your mother was holding a knife, she wouldn't let me near her. It was the day she found out that she was pregnant, with you. She told me then, all about her power. Her prophecies. She had seen me, everything I did. What happened to you."

Ethan felt himself straining against his bonds. He felt a power within him, trying to get out. To rip apart the man who was his father.

"I hit her once, and she was knocked out. I called some people, very important people and they took her here where I could do my research. You grew and grew and grew and Marie hated me more everyday."

Ethan let out his breath, he hadn't breathed since his father had started talking. Marie, that was his mother's name. He had never known. His father had never told him when they had lived in Moscow.

"I still remember the day you were born. Marie was screaming at me, telling the doctors not to let me take you but they did. I was the first person you saw, after you opened your little eyes. They were her eyes. You have them still, exactly her eyes. I took you to see her that day, into her hospital room. My research was still years from being completed and I wasn't cruel. You would know your mother, at least for a little time."

Ethan could see it know, his father had been the noise coming towards them in his dream. It had been Anton... and the baby.

"I put you in her arms, she was so weak. It hadn't been easy on her, birthing you. She looked at you and laughed. She whispered something to you before turning to me. As soon as she saw me hate filled her eyes. The same hate I now see in yours. 'His name is Ethan' that is what she said to me. I still loved her you know, with every fibre of my being. I walked to her bed, knelt down beside her and held your hand. Your mother was crying, I should have known then that she would do something. She touched your forehead, I could almost see some light go from the end of her finger tips into you. I was shocked, I didn't see her do it but she grabbed my hand. Your mother had more power than I knew, she didn't just have visions, she could share them aswell. I saw everything, us living together on the Neva. The experiments we preformed on you. Your training. That was where it stopped though, the day you were sent on your first mission and I could see the weapon I created."

Ethan remembered that day so well. He was the last boy left in the facility, he had killed all the others. Anton was right, back then he was the perfect weapon. He would have killed anyone on the planet if he had been asked to, probably would have been able to aswell. Ethan could still see something left in his father, something that was causing this madness, something that must have haunted him for over sixteen years.

"She showed me the Red Room where I was trained so I could see where I needed to go to save Amy and to see what you had done to me. She showed me this place as well. I spoke to her, managed to have the only real conversation I could ever have with my mother because of you. Because you killed her." Ethan spat the last words out with such force that even Anton recoiled.

His father looked shocked, pain shooting across his face. "You think I killed her, you think I murdered my wife." Anton was shouting now. "She hated me so much that she expended herself just to show me a glimpse of the future. Once I had seen her last gift to me she fell back, all her energy gone. And I was left kneeling there, with a screaming baby in my hands whilst the woman I loved faded from existence."

His father's last sentence broke Ethan, inside and out. It shattered everything he knew about the man infront of him. He had to be lying, he must have killed Marie. Ethan almost couldn't accept the possibility that his father might be telling the truth.

"No, no no no. You must have killed her. You're a madman, evil. That's what you are. You must have killed her." Ethan screamed at Anton.

Anton lent back close to Ethan, "Your mother killed me, the only good part left in me at least. You want to know what the last thing she showed me was." Anton looked crazier than ever, with evil mad glints shining brightly in both of his wide eyes. "She showed me the Louvre, where you shot me. I felt it, the pain of you killing me. You would never know what it felt like, to die. The pain of it. And then she showed me-" Anton suddenly stopped, gasping and stuttering.

"What, tell me what she showed yo-"

"ENOUGH!" Anton bellowed at Ethan before he feverantly looked back down at the syringe full of Ethan's blood. "You know, afterwards, I checked. I examined your blood and your mother's. And do you know what I found. Your mother's DNA is different, very different. It was so far away from normal that she could barely be considered human. It's what gave your mother power and I suspect could give you powers."

"What are you talking about? I don't have powers, not unless you count the ones that you gave me with your super soldier serum." Ethan said quickly to his father. Anton had lost it, gone completely insane.

"No that's the most interesting part of it. The powers, they are switched off at birth, genetically that is. Your DNA is barely different to a normal persons in anyway, apart from a small marker. There is a tiny blip in you" his father got up and turned to Oliver, "which finally brings us to Master Hunt here."

Oliver looked tiny surrounded by the grown men. Ethan strained against the cuffs holding him to the chair but they wouldn't give.

"Imagine how surprised I was when we found Oliver had the same genetic marker as you. So naturally we had to bring him here. It was dreadfully easy really, seeing as Dummnell was already embedded at the orphanage but I was surprised when you arrived. It felt almost like a moment of fate so I had you brought to me." Anton was now fumbling around in a small metal case, pulling out a vial of green swirling liquid.

"Oliver should be thankful you are here though Ethan. From some interesting research done by another team, I've uncovered a way of turning on your powers but the solution needs to be catalysed by an active source of power, which you just happen to have running in your blood, Thanks to Marie." Anton said her name with venom, he hated her. What had she shown him that had caused so much hate and madness in him?

"Oh and before I forget." He nodded at a man who Ethan couldn't see but stepped into his vision. He was holding a small digital camera which flashed. Anton chuckled slightly, "Paperwork. Though maybe I should put it online, it might be interesting to see what people think if we prove that their little superhero is a child soldier." If that got out, Ethan couldn't ever go undercover again. Everyone would know his face.

Anton mixed Ethan's blood little vial of liquid and it turned an electric shade of light green. Anton pushed the vial into a small injector and started walking towards Ethan. Whatever that liquid would do to him it would never be good so Ethan strained and pulled against his chains. When Anton was a foot away from him, Ethan heard his hand crack and explode in pain as his thumb broke, allowing him to pull his hand through the small circle of metal.

Anton surged forward but Ethan punched him in the jaw before reaching the other metal cuffs off of the chair. Ethan jumped up as guards surged at him but he met them mid stride. Ethan had jumped onto the chest of the closest guard and managed to snap his neck as he jumped over him before double kicking the next two guards. Ethan tried to move on to the third guard but what knocked sideways as a loud bang echoed behind him and a bullet struck deep into his left shoulder.

Crying out in pain Ethan fell to the ground. Guards immediately surged him and holding down his arms and legs and he tried to push them off of him with no luck. The last thing Ethan felt was a needle being pushed into his neck and a cold icy feeling sweeping over him.

He woke up, but he wasn't awake. Ethan's eyes flew open as he scanned the room. He was lying in a hospital bed. No it was the same hospital bed his mother had been in. Ethan scanned the room looking for her but she wasn't there.

All of a sudden a huge pain tore through him, like a fiery sword being thrust through every cell of his body. Ethan screamed out in pain, the unending torture racked his entire body.

"Shhhhhhhhhh. Be still, it will be over soon. Shhhhhhh." It was his mother's voice. She was close by, Ethan could feel it as if her breath was on the back of his neck.

The pain increased, reaching new levels that Ethan couldn't have considered even existing before his body was juddered. Exploding upwards Ethan flew at the ceiling but a second before he collide with it, it disappeared and Ethan flew upwards even further. He was now surrounded by white, like clouds on every side of him. There was no one here, but at least there was no pain. That had been left below.

In front of Ethan, the mist rose up. It seemed to collected and solidify until his mother was standing infront of him. Ethan walked towards her and hugged her tight. Tears were still running down his cheek but she wiped them away.

"Shhhhhh, it's ok now. The pain is gone." She said lovingly.

"You're dead aren't you. How are you in my dream?" Ethan said quietly, still with questions burning in him.

"I suppose I am dead aren't I. I burnt up all my energy pushing visions into you and Anton. It killed me but it set the future on the right path." She said. She looked at Ethan feverantly, as if she was desperately trying to remember every detail about him. "As to how I'm here, I don't know. This isn't one of my visions."

Anger seeped through Ethan now as he pushed his mother away. "What are you saying though. The future on the right path, what did that matter. You should have stayed. You should have been there for me, for us. I saw it in Dad's eyes, he loved you, you could have helped him."

"You don't understand. My gift, it can be a curse. Seeing the future, it's not precise. I saw different futures, all possible. In all of them Anton did this to you. Some you stayed evil, some you turned good. In some you burnt the world down and watched as the ashes crumbled. What I saw scared me more than you could know but I was pregnant with you and I loved you. It was Anton, it was all his fault. I should have never trusted a human to have a child with but I fell in love. After I saw the possible futures I made a choice Ethan, for you. The best I could do for you was die that day, sixteen and a half years ago. You just have to know that I love you still and how proud I am that you are finally taking your birthright." She said with power behind her voice, but also guilt. Ethan knew that it had torn her inside not to see him grow up but he believed her when she had said that she had done it for the best.

"Wait, my birthright? You said you shouldn't trust a human... What are you... What are we?" Ethan felt confused, he didn't know what was happening anymore. He had been trained to combat any foe. To be able to kill any man and yet he still couldn't even begin to understand all this.

"I can sense that we don't have much time together Ethan but I can tell you what you needto know. There are people out there, not human people but people with... Abilities. As the legends go, millennia ago a star fell from space and from it a blue God changed people to become legends themselves. Warriors with the power to fight Gods. Your power has been unlocked within yourself but you won't be able to control it, not to begin with. It can be difficult to handle but you just have to focus. The powers are a part of you and once you accept them they will be able to be controlled just like a hand or foot. Just try to stay calm. That always helps."

Ethan could feel something pulling him from behind, as if an invisible hand was pulling him away from his mother. Ethan tried calling to her but he had no voice, no sound came out.

Marie Jacobs had tears in her eyes as she watched Ethan getting pulled away but she didn't move, didn't try to speak.

Ethan woke back up on the floor of the laboratory, his entire body felt sore and rough. Ethan pushed himself to his feet but collapsed when his broken hand surged with pain. His shoulder still burned with pain but Ethan could see a white bandage pressed onto it. He managed to look around and was surprised to see no guards around. Sirens were spinning on the wall and Ethan could swear that in the distance he could hear gunfire. As Ethan stood up he heard a clatter as the metal cuff dropped of his wrist. His arm felt sore like he had had a nasty injection.

It had been on tight. Ethan though as he looked around the room. Ollie was still cuffed to the table but he appeared to be asleep. Ethan tried to walk towards him but his foot wouldn't budge. Ethan pulled and felt nothing until he looked down.

All around him, black debris littered the floor. It looked like the rocks had explode out from him but he couldn't tell what it was. It looked just like normal rock except that it was jet black. Ethan looked across the room and saw that it surrounded Oliver as well.

He could feel something running up and down his arms, like little bolts of electricity inside of him that powered his bones. Ethan held up a hand. Between his fingers small bolts of red lightning powered between them.

Ethan gasped out loud and threw his hand to the side, trying to shake off the energy. Out of his hand flew a beam of the red energy which hit the chair he had just been in. The chair exploded in energy and flew backwards, ripped out of the ground.

Ethan grabbed his hand back, looking at it in shock. Panic was coursing through him and he felt a bolt of power shoot out from behind him hitting a table in the room.

Stay calm his mother's words echoed through him. Ethan breathed in deep, calming himself down as he cleared his mind. This must be it, this was his power. It had manifested just like his mother had said.

Ethan could feel it in him still. It felt strange but he was managing to push back against it now. To keep it inside though it felt alive. Like it wanted to be free. Ethan thought back to what his mum had said. 'Believe in your power. It's a part of you.'

Ethan held out his hand again, he thought about the red energy, pushing it through him. Slowly it pushed out of his hand. Twisting up from his palm Ethan saw tendrils of energy forming a spiral.

Marie had been right, the powers were a part of you. The power just had to be controlled like an arm or leg, without really thinking but wanting them to do it, just expecting them to comply.

Ethan ran across the room to reach Oliver. He had decided that it was gunfire outside which could mean that rescue was here. Ethan reached Oliver and checked his pulse, it was weak but stable. They must have given him a powerful knockout drug.

Ethan found a key left on the small table with his father's equipment on it which fit into the cuffs which fell of of Oliver. He fell forward and Ethan managed to catch him, lifting him easily in his arms. The boy really was small for his age, he barely weighed more than a small suitcase.

Ethan ignored the pain from his hand and shoulder as he ran down the dark corridors of the facility. He didn't see a single person anywhere. Ethan tried retracing his steps and was making some progress when he saw a set of stairs.

You'll find what you need downstairs that was what his mother had said.

Ethan took a chance and started running down the stairs. Oliver was stirring in his arms but still looked completely out of it. Ethan rounded the bottom of the stairs and found a vault door. It was huge, made of steel and furnished with huge metal tumblers.

There was a keypad on the side but Ethan didn't know the code. He put Ollie down next to the door and examined it closer. It was a brutal machine, there would be no way to brute force it open.

Ethan took a deep breath before pressing his hand against the metal. Eight tendrils extended from his palm and snaked out, forming eight lines from his centre palm. He pushed them into the metal, which sizzled and turned white but Ethan felt no resistance from the lines. He could feel them, but could barely explain what they felt like. As if he had fingers pushed out from him but they weren't connected to him and didn't feel like fingers.

Ethan felt them hit air on the other side of the door and he twisted them around, pushing into the metal again. Thirty seconds later he had a perfect ring in the metal and the door crashed down onto the floor.

Ethan stepped back into the stairwell. Oliver seemed more awake now, he had managed to stand up.

"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked him, concerned. Nothing outwardly had changed about the boy.

"Tired and cold" Oliver said quietly, "Did you just cut through that door?"

Ethan grinned and motioned for Oliver to come with him. Ethan closed the door behind Oliver as they walked through into a small room. Ethan flicked the lights on and went still. Infront of them were four large tubes with liquid in then. One of the tubes were empty but the other three had bodies floating in them. Ethan stared at his father.

The the two boys walked closer to the large tubes, their faces bathed in blue light from the tubes.

"At least we know how your dad survived. This must be where he was downloaded into a new body." Oliver said, marvelling at the floating bodies. "We need to destroy them."

Ethan looked shocked, he knew he was right but he didn't expect the little boy to recommend something so violent.

"We can overload the cables, it should create a small scale explosion in here. We need to stop him Ethan. He may be your dad but if these are gone then he can't find a way back." Oliver said as he started fiddling with the wires to the side of the machine.

"Fine, you overload then whilst I go and find us a way out of here." Ethan said as he looked around. There was a door on the far side of the room which Ethan tried. It opened up into a small room with a ladder on the far side. The room was also conveniently a panic room. Well it was designed by his dad as a bolt hole so there would be a gun in the room somewhere.

Ethan looked around the sparse room. Where would he hide a gun if he was a lunatic with a sense of style. It was obvious really. Ethan walked across the room to the biggest section of wall and pushed it slightly. It immediately slithered back and expose a huge assault rifle with threes spare magazines.

Ethan grabbed it off the wall and checked it quickly. It was in perfect working order and Ethan just pulled it onto his shoulder when Oliver ran into the room and leaped onto the ladder.

"What did you do!?" Ethan yelled after him.

"No time, come on" Oliver yelled back down the ladder.

Ethan launched himself at it and pulled himself up, catching Oliver who had just reached the top and pulled himself out. Ethan scanned around to see that they had come or around the back of the facility. There seemed to be a pitched gun battle on the other side of the building but Ethan only counted three guards this side.

Ethan pointed to the building, where a small shelter had been built around the door. "When I say go, run for that and don't stop." Ethan said quietly. Oliver nodded.

Ethan jumped out of the hole and managed to shoot two guards in quick succession. "Go" he yelled behind him as he started running. More guards where running around the corner towards them but Ethan managed to keep them back with shots to towards their heads but he took a slug in the leg for his troubles.

The bullet had only grazed him but it was still quite deep. Ethan managed to get into cover with Oliver. The guards had stopped coming giving Ethan a chance to breath but he twisted around lightning fast when he heard Oliver squeal.

Anton had sneaked up behind him and grabbed him in a choke hold, putting a gun to his head.

Ethan levelled his pistol and pointed it at his father who was slowly walking backwards with Oliver. "Put Him Down" Ethan said slowly. He sounded dangerous now.

"I won't, I won't die. She showed me this, Marie... She showed me this right now. It was the last thing she said to me 'This is when you die' but I won't die... I won't-" and the ground exploded.

Oliver had done his job to well as all three men were blown off there feet. Ethan groaned as he landed, pain running all over his already brutalised body. There was a loud sharp ringing in his ears but he could see through the smoke.

Anton and Oliver hadn't been affected as much as Ethan had been, they had been further away from the blast and where already back on their feet. Anton was screaming as he pointed the gun at Ethan. Ollie was running towards him as well.

Anton pulled the trigger and the bullet exploded out the end but at the same second a bullet crack echoed towards them. A fraction of a second later Ethan's father's head exploded. Ethan didn't see the bullet coming though as Oliver dived in front of him.

"Nooooooooo" Ethan screamed as Oliver fell forward and landed to the side of him. Ethan pushed himself forward and crawled his way towards Oliver. The boy rolled over in the dirt. He didn't have a bullet wound. Ethan looked to the side and saw the crumpled bullet lying on the floor.

Ethan tried to reach out for Oliver but he couldn't reach him. It was like a wall between them. Oliver was panting and looking panicked. He couldn't get out.

"Listen to me Oliver, stay calm. It's going to be OK." Oliver still looked panicked but stopped moving. Ethan took a deep breath and pushed his hand against the barrier, pushing his hand through it. It was difficult, like pushing through molasses. Ethan managed to reach Oliver and pulled him, moving the barrier over both of them and hugged him. The bond they now shared couldn't be broken. The little boy was the brother Ethan could never have and he wouldn't let anything happen to him.

Ethan barely felt it as the barrier came down but did feel it when Oliver collapsed in he arms. He had exhausted himself with just the small shield. Ethan felt drained inside as well and was in a lot of pain from a broken hand and bullet wounds.

Ethan held Oliver in his arms as he spun around. He could hear people running around the building and levelled his pistol, ready to face them. Ethan felt his arms trembling, he could barely lift the gun and could feel the end dipping. He sighed in relief when Clint and Agent Thirteen burst around the corner, sprinting towards them with bow and gun primed and ready.

The moment Ethan saw them, he slumped back, sitting against the wall. He was shocked, even in his delirious state, by the person running behind Clint as James Waters sprinted around the corner. He had a huge sniper rifle in his hands with a weird scope on it. Ethan saw them spot them and sprint forward. Clint and James dropped to the ground next to him and James pulled out a medpack and pressed a cloth pad against the bullet wound in his leg. Carter covered them, firing some shots at some guards trying to advance on them.

Clint pulled him up and slung his arm around his shoulder. James picked up Oliver in arms and began running back to the airstrip. It was clear that this was a quick in and out job as Clint started pulling him after James. Ethan saw that most of the guards seemed to be dead on the concrete outside the main building. There had to be at least a hundred dead bodies around and a full STRIKE team were pinning a few more guards down in the main building.

Ethan heard a few stray shots flying over their heads as Clint pulled him forward with Carter covering them. Halfway to the jet, James reappeared and grabbed Ethan on the other side and they picked him up between them. The moment they hit the ramp on the jet they took off but oddly kept low to the main building, hovering just over the roof.

Clint and James lowered Ethan into a seat and strapped him in as he moaned slightly. His bullet wounds weren't hurting as much but there was a general ache all over his body. Oliver was lying slumped in the seat opposite. Carter knelt down next to Ethan and started assessing his injuries.

Ethan's confusion as to why they weren't moving was answered when he saw a flash of red hair and Nat climbed up into the main belly of the plane. She smiled as she saw Ethan before walking over to the central console and plugged in a flash drive copying its contents to a secure SHIELD server.

Clint and James sat down stood in front of Ethan as the jet sped away from the battle. Ethan was getting a bit of his energy back and felt a lot better after Carter gave him a shot of something.

"Lemme see. It looks like a broken wrist, two bullet wounds and what looks like and injection track on your arm, probably just something to keep you asleep."

"You got my message then?" Ethan smirked.

Carter rolled her eyes. "Well after you didn't report in I wondered where you had gone so I put a few rookies on 24/7 lookout. After the message cut out straight away we reckoned you were in actual danger, especially as you were in the middle of the Sahara desert."

"What happened though. That was your father back there Ethan. He's dead, you shot him." Clint said sounding concerned. It was rare that the big man wasn't joking.

"I thought he was dead to until he turned up in Germany and took Oliver and me away." Ethan then went on and told them the whole story of what had happened after he had been picked up. He even told them about the talks with his mum, even if they did make him sound crazy but if he couldn't trust the people around him now then he couldn't trust anyone.

Once he was done the four agents around him looked just as confused as when he began.

"Wait you saying he gave you superpowers.." Clint said.

"He just resurrected himself..." Sharon said

"So the guy I shot was Ethan's dad?" James said

That caught Ethan out, "Wait you shot him?" Ethan said looking at James.

"Yeah... Is that ok?" James looked a little unsure.

"Don't worry, it was a good shot." That seemed to nullify him but he still looked unsure, he mustn't have heard Ethan's history.

"Still though, you said 'powers' what do you mean?" Nat said cutting between James and Ethan.

"I will have to show you but later. I'm to drained right now." Nat looked concerned with him and said "They'll put you on the Index, and there's no coming off that list." The Index was a list of enhanced people who were to be monitored and watched to assess their danger.

"Let's not think about that now." Clint said as he turned to look at Oliver. "What about him, why was he in that facility."

Ethan realised that he had forgotten to mention Oliver in his report. "He was back at the orphanage. He had the same genetic marker as me so they brought him and activated him as well. He has some sort of energy manipulation power. It felt like a wall when he had it around him."

"Yeah I saw the bullet ping off of it. Whatever it is, it's strong enough to stand up to a strong force." James said with a slight sound of awe in his voice.

"Still, what are you doing here James. You were in the Royal Marines three months ago." Ethan said staring the bigger man down. He thought someone would have qued him in if his girlfriends older brother suddenly became a STRIKE agent. He gasped slightly though as Thirteen started ramping a splint around his hand.

"Wait, no one told you about him?" Clint said laughing "SHIELD has been trying to recruit him for years. He's something of a legend in the British Army. James is the guy who made the eight K shot"

Ethan felt his eyebrows raise as he looked at James for confirmation. He couldn't shoot anywhere as far as that and he was a genetically altered super soldier. James shrugged and said "it was mostly luck. I finally caved into SHIELD requests after I met you. You made me believe that maybe SHIELD could do some good and wasn't all just knives in backs. I think New York proves that."

"Well it's always-" Ethan said but was cut of by stirring on the other side of the jet. Oliver had woken up and was looking around with bleary eyes. "Hey Ollie, how are you feeling?" All of the agents were watching him closely. He looked scared, his eyes dashing from one agent to the other until Nat rolled her eyes and walked over to him.

She knelt down in front of Oliver and said "How are you feeling? Anywhere hurt?" In an uncharacteristically soft voice.

"I'm ok. Nowhere hurts to bad." Ethan was looking him over. The boy looked bruised and battered with some small shrapnel cuts but apart from that it wasn't to bad. Ethan probably looked much worse, with broken bones and some larger cuts all over his body from being closer to the explosion.

"That's good. We're about twenty minutes out from base and you'll both be assed there." Clint said, also looking the young boy over.

"Um, where are we going." Oliver asked in a timid voice.

"I wondered that, New York and the carrier are out of order and The Hub is to secret to let an uncleared enhanced on base. We better not be going to The Fridge."

Clint smirked and said, "Nope, Fury has ordered us all to relocate to DC so we're going to the Triskellion." Ethan raised his eyebrows. The Triskellion was the legendary centre of all SHIELD operations.

"What was wrong with my place in New York?" Ethan laughed at them but groaned when his his shoulder stabbed with pain which got a laugh out of the crowd.

"So I get to got to America with three Avengers. This is so cool!" Oliver said in an awed voice.


	26. Chapter 26

Twenty minutes later the jet touched down on the Tarmac outside of the Triskellion and Oliver was escorted off the plane by Nat and Clint helped Ethan limp down the ramp. The moment Ethan looked out across the Tarmac he groaned. Normally he would have been amazed by the building and the scale of the place. The Triskellion was the biggest building in DC and could be seen from anywhere in the city. However today all he could do was groan when the bane of his life was standing ten feet away.

It was dusk outside so Ethan could only dimly seen as he was half led half carried across the Tarmac.

Dr Hope was waiting for him with a two man medical team who had a gurney between them. Ethan also noticed six armed guards in small groups, all trying to look like they weren't watching Ethan. So Fury didn't trust him, what a surprise.

Clint helped Ethan limp over to the gurney which Ethan hopped up onto. "Good to see you again ma'am" Ethan said slightly sarcastically.

In return she prodded the bullet wound on his back causing him to gasp in pain and smirked. "I'm impressed, it's been almost three weeks since you've been in medical. Are you making up for it by giving me some fun extra paper work?"

"You know I've always got you in mind."

"Mmmmhh, now get him up to the infirmary before he gets anymore blood on the Tarmac, oh and bring the boy up too. I need to check him over."

One of the medics pushed Ethan down onto the bed and pushed him inside at top speed. Ethan swore that they were trying to kill him before he got to medical with how fast they were getting him up there. Maybe they just really didn't want to piss of Dr Hope.

Ethan's vision was going a bit fuzzy again as he was pushed through the building so he didn't really see much of the inside of the Triskellion until he was lifted onto a bed in an infirmary. The room was massive, with machines all around Ethan. He was in there on his own and was left alone for a moment before a nurse came in and smiled at him but she was pushed out of the room when Dr Hope suddenly appeared behind her.

Ethan was shocked to see that Amy walked in behind her pulling in Oliver by the hand but beamed when he saw her even though it hurt to smile. Hope shut the door firmly behind them and Amy rushed to his side and kissed him. Oliver stood awkwardly in the corner.

Ethan beckoned for Oliver to come over and he walked to the side of the bed. "Oliver Hunt, this is Amy Waters. The woman I love more than anything else in this world. Amy Waters meet Oliver, recent immigrant from Germany and a little superhero. Oh and that's Docter Hope, Great doctor and possible Nazi sympathiser." Oliver gave a little smile but blushed which caused Amy to laugh.

"Yes, enough of your lip young man. We have serious things to discuss." Hope said barely even scowling. Something was very wrong. She walked over to Ethan and started checking his wrist.

"You might as well tell them both. It affects them equally." Amy said looking worried.

"I've been ordered to collect a full set of blood and fluid samples. I'm to do a full bank of tests. They're the initial process for the Index!" Hope said almost looking panicked. Ethan could feel her hands shake slightly as she wrapped a cast around his arm.

"Fury really doesn't trust you right now. You must have seen the guards downstairs, at least they were trying to be discrete but I've been completely locked out even though I would normally be called in to do the psych eval. They're getting in a man called Andrew Garner. He's the best, I studied under him but he is ruthless. He will know every true meaning or every hidden truth. They want him to find out if you are a threat in any way and Fury doesn't like threats" Amy looked scared and she was right to be, she was close to losing him, maybe forever. Ethan felt anger racing through him. Fury feared him. This new power he had, but he also wanted to control Ethan. That was what these tests where for, that was why Fury brought them to DC. He wanted Ethan contained and vulnerable.

Suddenly to the side of them a cabinet exploded and glass shattered everywhere. Ethan covered his face and fell small piece of glass hit his arm. Hope and Amy both ducked backwards and avoided the shards.

Ethan watched as Oliver slumped back in the corner, his eyes wide. He was looking at the cabinet which looked like someone had hit it with a sledgehammer. "That was me. I felt it. I was scared and it felt like electricity ran along my arms and then it exploded." He looked at Ethan with fear in his eyes "Maybe I am a threat."

Ethan looked into the little boys eyes and felt the anger inside of him pick up a new level. Fury was pushing new lows. He wanted Oliver assessed to see how valuable he could be in the future. Ethan had to end this, now.

Ethan swung out of bed and knelt down on one knee in front of the small boy. "Oliver. Listen to me, you are not a threat. You just a kid and I'm going to make sure nothing bad happens to you. You were given power, now it's up to you how to use that power."

Oliver gave a small nod which made Ethan smile. He looked shattered and closed his eyes as Ethan stood up.

"Find him a bed would you. I'm going to go speak to Fury." Ethan tried to make it to the door before gasping and almost falling over. He had almost completely run out of energy and was running on empty with pain aching all over his body. He curved over grabbing his chest as he coughed coarsely.

"Oh no no no. You aren't going anywhere. You nearly killed yourself just getting out off bed." Hope said pushing him until he was lying down again. "You'll be fine but right now you need to sleep. Now do I need to give you a shot or will you be a good boy and listen to me."

Ethan rolled his eyes but nodded. Hope did her fakest smile and said "Excellent. Let me know when your awake although something will probably explode around here before then anyway."

Amy was standing on the other side of his bed and rested a hand on his arm. "I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on you two. Just get some sleep. I love you Ethan."

Ethan felt a sting as Dr Hope pushed a needle into his arm. Ethan groaned as he felt tiredness wash over him. "I thought you weren't gonna stab me!" Ethan managed to say before passing out in his bed.

Ethan woke out of bed with a start. His bed was surrounded by people and his heart started racing as fighting instincts started. All the people around him were wearing combat fatigues. Ethan did a quick head count and counted five men and Ethan acted fast jumping out of bed and spinning over the head of the line of soldiers.

Two of them tried to grab at him but Ethan dodged them and smashed their heads together, knocking them both out. Two more tried to grab him but Ethan swept the first's legs out and jump kicked the second one in the chest causing him to fall back. All the men were groaning on the floor as the fifth man sighed and stepped forward raising his fists into a boxer stance.

The man struck out at Ethan with lightning speed and Ethan managed to block him, pulling his arm in and rolling with the punch to hit the guy in the face with his elbow, knocking him back but he just shook his head slightly and swung back at Ethan. He could hear people running outside and knew that he had to move or risk being surrounded.

The big soldier tried to rush him again, punching lightning fast at Ethan but Ethan was faster. He felt the energy in him again, it had recovered somewhat during his sleep and he used it. Ethan blasted the man with two beams of energy from his hands. He tried to hold back and hoped that he had because the man was thrown backwards but he didn't have a hole in his chest which he felt like he could've caused.

Ethan turned and ran out of the room. He still was wearing the same civilian clothes that he had fallen asleep in which were covered in blood but he didn't let that slow him down.

Ethan made it out into the hall before he was cornered again. There were soldiers everywhere, something serious must have happened if Fury was letting US army men on site. The were at least twenty of them waiting for him in the corridor and all of them had their weapons primed and pointing at him.

Ethan didn't waste time as two tranq darts sailed towards him. He had only just spun out of the way in time, reacting faster than he through the he could and the confusion on the soldier's face just made him smile. Ethan slammed his palm into the soldiers jaw. They weren't wearing body amour, just light Kevlar plates. They mustn't be expecting a firefight so Ethan gave them a brutal beating.

Ethan moved through the group like a tiny demon, incapacitating the soldiers in quick secession. Ethan had just knocked down the eighth soldier, knocking him out with a punch that had probably broken his cheek and had grabbed another in a choke hold when a loud voice came from behind a group of guards.

"Stop this. All men stand down." A grey haired man wearing combat fatigues walked out from behind the line of retreated soldiers. He was a short man with large round glasses on but still had a powerful build. He raised his hands slightly in a slight act to show he wasn't armed. "Now son, would you put private Jenson down. He seems to be turning slightly blue."

Ethan dropped the man who spluttered on the floor but still remained ready as the man, a general by the sigil on his shoulder, nodded to two soldiers who approached Ethan. The second one of them reached behind his belt and pulled out a pair of cuffs Ethan struck out.

He grabbed the offending man's wrist and twisted it until it snapped with a loud crunch and kneed him in the kidneys. Ethan grabbed the second man's gun and smashed it into his face causing him to topple over before levelling it back at the general. All of the soldiers around Ethan tensed but the general just smiled slightly.

"Ok then, no cuffs. I just want to talk. Maybe we should just do this somewhere else. If you would step this way Ethan." The General moved aside and motioned to the elevator. Ethan didn't like that he knew his name, which must be so deep in a classified file the President would have trouble getting it.

"I don't have a choice do I?" Ethan said trying to detect any deception in the General's face but he couldn't see any. He didn't move the gun an inch though.

"Not unless you want to fight your way through thirty more soldiers, which I have no doubt you could but then it would be inconvenient for me as I would have to declare you an enemy of the state." The General said with a slight smile.

Ethan relaxed and let his gun drop. He started walking to the elevator as he heard the General say "Excellent." A few steps from the elevator Ethan through the gun at a soldier who looked particularly nervous and said "You know those adverts which say 'Join the army, you'll learn useful skills'. Well I hope that you at least learnt how it feels to have your asses handed to you."

Ethan saw the General smirk as he got into the elevator next to Ethan flanked by four huge men. Ethan leant against the wall but was still visibly tensed, ready to strike if he needed to.

"I think you should trust me. I'm not here to arrest you or have you killed." The General said slightly patronisingly. "It was remarkable though, watching you tear through some of the best soldiers I have to offer, and to think you are only a year older than my son."

Ethan tilted his head slightly, "Well I doubt your son has quite had the upbringing I had. Mine had more knives and guns than school books."

"So I've heard, though it has been hard trying to piece together your history. It's still full of holes in my file on you. As to my son, it's all a father can hope for to keep his son safe. Isn't it." The General said, completely poker facing Ethan.

"Well I just killed my father for the second time in as many months. But you already knew that, which is why you were testing me and trying to push me into giving you information. Now, you have ten seconds to tell me who you are, why you're here and to give me an excuse not to kill you or your son is going to have to find out what it feels like to see his father dead." Ethan saw all four soldiers tense at his threat but the General stayed remarkably calm. Maybe he just wasn't used to being threatened by five foot six pseudo- ninjas.

"Ha. You complain about me trying to get info out of me and then you try the same thing. Well well, you really are the best aren't you."

"Seven seconds left." Ethan said through gritted teeth. He was getting annoyed now, this man was toying with him and Ethan didn't have time for it. He just needed answers.

"My Name is General Stanley Ferrister. You probably haven't heard of me, I head the US army Black Ops devision which, naturally, don't exist. Which means my job doesn't exist. As to why I'm here, well that would be easier to show you." The General said as the elevator dinged.

The doors opened onto the floor with Fury's office on it. Ethan followed Ferrister and his goons along the corridor until they reached the door to Fury's office. Nat stood sentry to the door and Ethan broke off from the group. He looked at Nat, she looked scared. Nat was never scared.

"Nat, where's Amy and Oliver. Are they ok?" Ethan said quickly and quietly. Ferrister looked impatient waiting at the door to the office.

"It's fine, Amy took him back to Steve's. We're all setup in the city now. The whole team has been relocated." Nat said quickly before Ethan turned back to the door but Nat caught his arm. "Ethan whatever happens in there. Remember, you are the closest thing I've had to a brother and I love you for that and won't ever stop believing in you."

Ethan nodded, confused now before Nat let him go and pushed him back towards Fury's office. What was going on, why did Nat seem to think she had lost him. Ethan walked into the office. He saw a clock on the wall that said eleven o'clock which was why it was pitch black outside. Fury was sitting at his desk while Maria Hill stood behind him. Something was playing on the screen infront of Fury but he had it muted.

Ethan walked across the room and dropped into a chair opposite Fury's desk.

"So anyone want to explain what's going on because, don't take this the wrong way general, but I don't appreciate being woken up by thirty soldiers." Ethan said sarcastically.

"Yes, that was unfortunate. I thought you would have known about what happened but apparently not. Nicholas, would you care to explain." Ferrister said politely.

In response Fury swiped his screen and the video he had been watching appeared on the wall. "Play it from the beginning." He said plainly.

Ethan watched the screen as a news clip played. "Yes, it has been confirmed. This package was delivered to all major new stations. This is breaking news about the truth behind the Avenger Triton." The camera cut away and showed a picture of him fighting in New York. Suddenly Ethan let out a sigh as the picture changed to the one his father had taken inside his base. His nose was bleeding and he had a huge bruise covering half his face. "Along with that picture was an information package. Triton's real name is Ethan Jacobs and he is an agent for SHIELD but the most shocking piece of information is that he is only sixteen years old. This is dire news for our government because under UN charter he could be considered a child soldier which is against international law. SHIELD has so far refused to comment. We will keep you informed on the latest information." Fury paused the video.

Ethan leaned back in his chair and sighed. "My loving father, still screwing with my life even after I killed him... Again. At least this explains why you didn't rush to my bedside Fury, I know how sentimental you are." Ethan was still guessing that Ferrister didn't know about his powers.

Fury opened his mouth to speak but Ferrister cut across him. "I know that this is not how you would have wished the world to find out about you Ethan but it is good it did. The President will officially deny he knew anything about you but his private view is that you've done enough. He wants this swept under a rug and you to be quietly looked after provided you stay in contact with me. You still are a child and the American government is offering you a full payment package as well as free schooling to any school and college. In other words, you have an out. Something not offered to many people in our world."

Ethan looked back at Fury who remained passive and Hill wasn't giving anything away either before he turned back to Ferrister and said, "No."

Ferrister seemed to double take and Ethan heard a slight shift behind him. Fury had just let his breath out, he had been holding it in till now. Ferrister smiled slightly. "I'm not sure you heard me quite correctly. This wasn't a request. You either take my deal or we will take steps to distance our government from you. And that means you will be branded an enemy and will be eliminated. What can SHIELD offer you? This is an order that you will follow."

Ethan felt anger rush through him. He was being threatened and he didn't like it but he didn't let it show. He just grinned slightly and made a snap decision. A few hours ago he could have killed Fury if it meant that he and Oliver would be free but now everything had changed. "No General, I don't think you heard me. I said no. I am a SHIELD agent which means you can't order me to do anything. And if you think for a second that you can somehow take my life away from me you can go fuck yourself." Ethan said with deadly calm in his voice.

Ethan saw Ferrister's face strain and contort in anger. "Now you listen to me. You are just a boy who has been through a lot and it's time to end. You'll be coming with me." Ferrister reached out and grabbed Ethan's arm. Ethan reacted with lightning speed and grabbed his wrist, snapping it in his hand causing Ferrister to scream out. The soldiers behind him launched themselves at Ethan but Fury had stood up and shouted.

"General Ferrster. It's time for you to leave unless you want to assault more of my Agents and face the consequences." Fury sounded scary when he was yelling which stopped all the soldiers in their tracks.

Ferrister cradled his hand and shot evil eyes at Fury. "This isn't over Fury. I will see you burn for this." Ferrister stormed out of the office and Fury slumped back down into his chair and Ethan sat opposite him.

The second the door closed behind the General Fury thumbed his earpiece and said "Romanov, see the general out and make sure he doesn't linger to long."

"Sir is it wise just to let him go? He won't forget this." Hill said curtly.

"Oh I think he learnt his lesson. Though I do wonder what will stop him from coming after Jacobs." Fury said watching Ethan intently.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Don't think I don't know that you know what I'm going to say."

"I know what you will say, I just don't know why." Fury said leaning back in his chair.

Ethan stood up and looked at the photo of him from the news that was still frozen on the screen. "Seeing my father again and having that little incident with the army. It made me think about where I belong. You see, my dad told me that I belonged with him and that I was a failure but here, I'm not a failure. Here I can do some good and it was here that I found a proper family. When I got back from my mission. Amy and Dr Hope told me that you didn't trust me, that you were going to put me on the Index and then you would abandon me. But then I remembered the first thing I heard about you. It was from Clint and he said that he trusted you do always do the right thing. That's why I'm still here. I believe in SHIELD like I didn't before. I trust it now, trust that we will always fight for what's right and that means that I trust you Fury."

Ethan turned back to look at Fury who had stood up from behind his desk. "It means a lot to me to hear that Jacobs. Your belief in this organisation... In me, is humbling. I was wrong not to trust you before, not to believe that you would use your new power for good. But you do know there is only one way to keep the US off your back and that's to make you SHIELD's problem. And there's only one way to do that."

Ethan sighed and said "I know. Putting me on the Index will make sure that the US can't come after me because I'm SHIELD's person to watch. The only problem I have is that I'm not the only person who will have to go on there. I've seen what Oliver can do, and he is dangerous which is why I am asking nicely to be the person who 'watches' him."

"Done ,as long as he agrees and pending his psych eval. If he's to dangerous to keep in public he will have to be hidden away. It's a big responsibility for you though. The kid's nine, maybe ten and you'll be the closest thing he has to a parent or family. We have other agents, desk jockeys or pen pushers who could watch him who already have families and settled lives. They might be better at looking after him." Fury said calmly.

Ethan shook his head. He knew that Fury was only being reasonable. He was only a sixteen year old boy. "No. With what we went through together, I'm closer to Oliver than anyone else could be. He's my responsibility now, I'll look after him."

Fury gave him a long look. Ethan felt like he was being x-rayed but he held his ground. After a long pause Fury said "OK. Just bring him back in tomorrow so we can have him accessed. Though Ethan, if he shows anyone his powers we have no choice but to take him to the Fridge until he can control them."

"I know that but it will be ok. Just trust me about this." Ethan said as he walked out of the room.

As the door shut behind him Ethan strained to hear "You're putting a lot of trust in him."

"I know, but I do actually trust him. Enough that one day everyone around here might be calling him sir."


	27. Chapter 27

Twenty minutes later Ethan pulled up at Steve's new apartment driving a company SUV. He had gotten directions from a tired desk sergeant who looked bored until he straightened up at seeing Ethan. As Ethan knocked on the door to his flat Steve opened it slowly and held a finger over his lips before motioning for him to come inside. Ethan crept into Steve's apartment to find a lovely living room with a big couch which had a small boy curled up on it under a blanket.

Ethan smiled before walking through into a kitchen area where Amy was leaning against a cabinet. She looked exhausted but must have been waiting for him. Ethan leaned forward and kissed her deeply. They only broke apart when Steve coughed in the doorway.

"So, what happened with the Army guy?" Steve asked awkwardly. He still wasn't used to modern relationships.

"Oh that was all fine, the guy offered me a way out and I told him to go fuck himself." Ethan said matter of factly. "Much worse though was the press, almost a hundred of them stalking out HQ to get a glimpse of me. Thank god for tinted windows though I did have to shake of a tail before I got here."

Amy punched his arm, "it's not ok to joke about this. Your face is everywhere. You're going yo have to keep a low profile for a while. What about the Index? Did you and Fury talk about that?"

Ethan nodded as he said "yes we did, and we agreed that it's for the best that Olie and I go on it. Fury trusts me, which is much more than most people. He believes that I don't need constant surveillance and that I can keep Oliver in line. He's coming to live with us."

Amy caught herself, "Us? What do you mean?"

Ethan held up a set of keys, "Well there's only one apartment and I want to live in it with you. So Amy Waters, I'm asking you to move in with me because there is no one I'd rather spend every moment of my life with."

Ethan barely finished before Amy grabbed him and kissed him deeply again. When she let him go Ethan mumbled, "Was that a yes?"

"Yes you idiot." Amy said breathlessly. Steve cleared his throat again and said, "well if you have your own place to go to. Don't let me keep you because some of us have to get up in the morning."

Ethan smiled and walked back into the living room where he crouched down next to Oliver and easily picked him up. "I'll give you the blanket back tomorrow" Ethan said as he carried the curled up boy down to the car. He was so tired that he didn't even stir. Ethan drove them back to their new apartment which Ethan found at the end of a little cul de sac. Like his place in NYC the apartment was expensive but Ethan couldn't see much as he looked around in the dark.

Ethan pulled Oliver out of the car and carried him up two flights of stairs to a large white door which Amy pushed open with apprehension. They walked into a large living room which was sparsely furnished, only having a few wooden chairs in it. On the left there was a wall opening into a large kitchen which had a dining table at the end of it. There was a set of stairs that spiralled up a floor in the corner of the lounge and Ethan walked over to them and carried Oliver up them. Upstairs there were four doors. Ethan opened the first to find a bathroom which was fitted with lovely utilities. The second door Ethan nudged open was the one he was looking for. Inside, the room was painted blue and has a large single bed pushed against a wall. Apart from that, not much else. Ethan carefully lowered Oliver onto the bed before pulling a sheet over him and closing the door. Ethan found Amy at the top of the stairs and kissed her deeply. Pulling her with him, Ethan nudged open a third door to find a master bedroom with a huge bed. Ethan pulled her onto it as the door slammed shut behind them.

Ethan woke the next morning with sunlight glaring through where curtains should have been. He looked around, unable to tell the time because there was almost no furniture in the room but judging by how high the sun was it had to be around eight. Ethan shivered slightly, Amy had somehow stolen all the sheets in the night as he grabbed a SHIELD t shirt and trousers he had picked up from HQ the day before from the floor. As he was pulling them on Ethan heard a high pitched cackling. Tensing he pulled open the door and silently snuck out into the hall.

He could see the door to Oliver's room was wide open as the cackling got louder. Inside Oliver's room glass shards covered the floor. Ethan sped down the steps and found Oliver sitting on the floor in the lounge flicking through TV channels on a plasma screen that Ethan hadn't noticed the night before.

A rerun of spongebob square pants was playing on the TV which explained the cackling. Oliver hadn't noticed Ethan coming down the stairs and jumped when Ethan cleared his throat. Ethan said "So what happened upstairs? How come your room looked like a bomb went off in it?"

Oliver stood up and looked down at his feet, "I'm really sorry. I just woke up and I wasn't sure where I was and then the light exploded. I felt my power do it, like it came out of me. You're not angry are you?" Oliver said timidly.

"No it's ok, I don't expect you to be able to control your powers yet. We'll get there though, I promise." Ethan said calmly, trying to keep everything nice and happy even though he was really worried that Oliver was going to be locked away. "We are going to go get something to eat and then drive into SHIELD. They want to preform some tests. It should all be fine."

Oliver nodded slowly and looked behind Ethan as Amy came down the stairs. She smiled brightly at him. "God this place looks sad when it's got no furniture. Good news though, with my old apartment a burnt out shell and from what I heard you're was cleaned out and the stuff sent God knows where and with Oliver needing some things we have a big shopping trip in our future."

Ethan and Oliver both looked at each other and groaned which made Amy roll her eyes and laugh. "Come on let's go get some food, I'm starving" Ethan said as he flicked off the TV.

It was freezing outside so all three of them were shivering as they walked into a little bakery. Ethan hadn't thought to grab jackets for himself and Oliver and Amy didn't have many clothes with her either. Oliver marvelled at his free choice, his whole living memory had been people telling him what to do and even the small choice of what to eat in the morning was new to him.

Oliver was standing at the counter watching the pastries being made. The lady behind the counter smiled at him and showed him the steps to the baking. Ethan was smiling at the huge grin Oliver had, right now no one could have guessed that he was different in any way.

"He really cares for you. You know that don't you. I've seen it already in him, he follows you around the room to make sure you're still there. Last night I barely managed to get him to leave." Amy said looking deeply into his eyes.

"I know. I feel the same for him. I barely know him but he feels like a brother to me. I suppose you can't go through what we did and get out on the other side without feeling something. I worried though, Fury said that if he can't control his powers he will be shipped of to The Fridge." Ethan said watching Oliver.

"What about you though, you learnt to control your powers. Why could you do it so fast?" Amy said, also watching Oliver.

Ethan caught his breath. He hadn't had time to really think about what he had seen in his dreams. He had met his mother, probably for the only time in his life and it hadn't been real. Yet without her he would never have been able to save Oliver. If only he had more time with her.

"I had a... Dream. No it was more of a vision. My mum had powers, just like me except that she could see the future. She saw everything that would happen to me and she left visions in my mind so she could tell me what I needed to do." Ethan said without looking at Amy. He sounded crazy though he was shocked when Amy next spoke.

"You know what I first said when I found out that my brother was coming to work at SHIELD?" Ethan shook his head. "I called him an idiot. This is to dangerous, I've seen what it did to you but he did it anyway. He was in intensive training for a few weeks but then the first day he had off he came to my apartment. We stayed up all night, watching movies and talking. It was great, we haven't been close like that since we were little kids. It can be the best thing ever to have an older brother, I can't even imagine what it's like when he's had no one for years."

Ethan knew she was right. He had never had anyone, he had killed everyone close to his age back in training but Oliver would never have to go through that. Could he be a good brother? "How do you always know exactly what to say?"

"Years of training and knowing the boy I love like the back of my hand." She kissed Ethan deeply but he broke away when he felt a prickle on the back of his neck. He turned around and saw a group of people who were sitting at a table whispering to eachother. They were watching him and Ethan knew they had sussed him out, he was a known face these days and would have to get used to it.

Thankfully the lady behind the counter had just put their order on the counter and Ethan quickly paid for it. Passing the bag to Oliver he whispered to him, "Come on. Let's go. There are some people you need to meet." Ethan pulled Oliver out of the bakery and they all got back into the SUV. Ethan patted the wheel slightly as he pulled out into traffic.

"What, are you still pining after that Ferrari? You are such a boy." Amy said as she read messages on her phone.

"It was a nice car!" Ethan tried to defend himself but gave up when Amy just rolled her eyes. "I just guess we have to be responsible from now on. Saying that I just will probably take this one."

"If HR got on to you for that they would slap some really bad paperwork on you and ransack your office just to make a point."

Both of them went quite when they heard a small voice from behind them. "How big is SHIELD? I barely heard anything about them before the Battle for New York."

"Very big. We employ thousands of people all over the world. Anywhere you are you can pretty much guarantee that you are within a hundred miles of a SHIELD base. There's even a base on the moon." Ethan said watching the traffic infront of him.

It was true, except maybe for the moon base though Ethan wouldn't put it past Fury, SHIELD was massive. It was why they could do all the good that they do do. Ethan pointed infront of him as they pulled off the freeway and onto the drive that led to HQ. "There, see it. That's the Triskellion. It's the main building for SHIELD operations all over the world."

Oliver had his face pressed against the glass looking at the building. "Woah, it's so big."

"This is just what you can see."

Ethan pulled into the underground garage and got out of the car and looked around. Just the garage was probably the size of a city block with hundreds of cars. Amy was still checking her phone and said, "God, I've got to go. I have a huge stack of work and it looks like someone hired me a personal assistant. Just what I need, some old fart trying to organise my life. Catch up with you two later, OK?" With that Amy strode off quickly.

Ethan watched her go before he realised that Oliver hadn't gotten out of the car. Ethan walked to his side and opened the door and said "Come on. It's going to be fine. The people here aren't bad people, they just want to help you control your powers. We will be done here before to long and then we can go and have some fun this afternoon."

Oliver got out of the car but he still looked really weary. Ethan stopped him and looked him in the eye, "Hey tell me what's wrong."

Oliver looked upset and gave Ethan huge eyes. "I'm just worried... That they'll say I have to go back to the orphanage. Or that I have to be locked up. I heard Amy and that doctor talk about it yesterday. They said that he wouldn't let someone like me go."

Ethan knelt down slightly to get to the same hight as Oliver and smiled at him. "You know the first thing I said to Fury when we talked about you. I said that I would look after you and that nothing bad would happen. I meant is Olie. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, you're like the little brother I never had which is why I said that I will be the one to watch you which means that you'll be coming to live with me from now on... If you want to."

Ethan felt a rush go through him as Oliver processed what he had just heard. What if Oliver said he didn't want to live with him, what would he do then? Ethan's quick thoughts where suddenly cut off when he was tackled in a flying hug from Oliver which knocked the wind out of him. Ethan hugged him back and it took a minute for them to break apart.

"Come on, let's go up."

Ethan steered Oliver through the garage and up into the busy lobby of the building. Ethan lead him over to a small desk, trying not to make eye contact with the guard he had managed to get passed months ago when he was here to kill Fury. He got a special security pass through Oliver which let him through into the main building and the two of them shot up on the high speed elevator to find a meeting room.

Before they could go inside though, Dr Hope accosted them at the door and said "Well good morning to you two, your fifteen minutes late." How she managed to speak and scowl so well Ethan would never know. "I'm taking Oliver for an hour or two. We're going to give him a full medical examination, check everything is ok with him."

Oliver nodded slightly as Dr Hope took his arm and almost dragged him down the corridor. Ethan went inside the meeting room and was surprised to find Clint and Rumlow in there, sitting with a large African American man.

The big man stood up as Ethan entered and held out his hand which Ethan shook. "Good morning Ethan, my name is Andrew Garner. I'm a psychiatrist working at Culvers. I'm in charge of your psychiatric assessment."

"So I've heard. It's good to finally meet you. Amy has told me a lot about you." Ethan said trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Amy didn't have very many nice things to say about him.

"Well it's great that you to met now, we can make this all cushy and fun." Rumlow said from the corner, as happy as ever.

"What's got you so unhappy this morning Rumlow, did your wife kick you out again?" Ethan shot back at him.

"No it's because I was pulled off STRIKE duty to process a snarky little shit and his new sidekick through the Index." He said whilst scowling.

"Which probably means we should get started if this is just going to end up with name calling." Clint said getting up from the table. "Meet us downstairs in the training rooms. Your lab has been moved to your office which is just down the hall. I almost killed Fury, he gave you a bigger room than me."

Ethan left quickly and found the room Clint was talking about. It was mostly filled with boxes but Ethan could see a desk and computer somewhere near the back. He rummaged through the boxes until he found his combat suit and pulled it on. It felt good to be back in his armour, like he had just come home from a long trip. The last thing he found before leaving was his staff, which he pulled across his shoulder. He was still annoyed at his father destroying his gauntlets but they could be replaced, maybe with some improvements.

Ten minutes later Ethan found Clint Rumlow and Andrew waiting for him in a large sports hall, which had running lines painted on the floor though they we're mostly covered up by slabs of concrete that were around the room. They were all different thicknesses, the thinnest being about a foot wide and the last one was at least three meters.

"Took ten guys and a crane to get these in here so don't break them." Clint said as he wrote quickly on a clip board he had picked up. "I have a report here from Hope. She took blood yesterday and has run some tests. Basically your entire DNA has changed structure to the outer limits of what can be called human. That's all fun and games though because she also showed me this." He held up a picture of some lab reports. "These are before and after shots. Before the Super Soldier Serum was clearly visible as a extra part of your body. It just made you stronger by powering up your body. Now, with the whole body changed thing, from the looks of it your new body has almost imbibed it into you."

"So what you're saying is that maybe whatever powers my abilities will also increase my super soldiers serum symptoms? That could be useful." Ethan said before he started running. Ethan quickly sped up to his top speed. He was running about the same speed at the worlds fastest man was when he broke the 100 meters world record. He still felt great though.

Before, running this fast would have effected him. He was pushing his body to the max and yet he still felt fine. That was when Ethan felt it, like electricity running along his bones as he ran. Clint had been right, he was using his power to keep running as fast as he was. He tried to push it and felt the electricity increase but he was running even faster. It was on his sixth lap around the track that he finally stopped.

"Pushing 55 kph, it's pretty impressive considering how short you are." Rumlow said.

Ethan laughed slightly even though his head felt like it was spinning. "I felt it. I used the energy in me, it's how I could keep going that fast." Suddenly Ethan swayed slightly and fell over as a blackness rushed him. Clint raced forward and shook him slightly and Ethan mumbled "it's ok. I'm fine."

Andrew was also standing over him and he said "As I suspected, there is a limit to your powers. You can't push yourself to much or you'll be left knocked out." Clint pulled Ethan up as he swayed slightly. "That's the key to this. You have control but you need to learn your limits. Now, let's try again. Just go slower this time."

Ethan readied himself on the line and was just about to go when he heard Clint say behind him, "try cutting through a block." Ethan started running, working up speed before he held out his left hand to the side and extended the energy from it. He felt the side of it, sharpening it to a razor blade. He was surprised at the control he had over it. Running past a concrete block Ethan slashed his blade into it.

Halfway through it caught and he was knocked through the air, as if he had just hit something.

He knew he hadn't done it right as the floor rushed up to meet him. Ethan slammed into the ground and his chin crunched nastily against the floor. As he rolled onto his side Clint was there to help him up.

"It felt like I ran out of strength." Ethan said, breathing heavily.

"Yeah, don't think you should do that, it could end up bad for you if throw yourself around like that." Clint said, laughing at Ethan laying on the floor.

"Now you can see the problem of not having control." Andrew said calmly, perfect poker face to hide his emotions.

"And what do you mean by that Garner?" Ethan said tensely, his voice ice cold.

"I meant that if you can't control yourself, how can you expect SHIELD to let you or your little friend run free." There it was, the gauntlet thrown on the floor. Ethan knew the ultimate decision to send him to The Fridge rested with Garner and he was threatening to do it. Anger coursed through him as Garner spoke again "Try again."

"Give me a minute!" Ethan said confused.

"In combat you won't have a minute, now go." Andrew said simply.

Ethan breathed deeply, controlling his emotions and started running again, quickly closing in on the second concrete block. Ethan buried his red sword into the second block and felt the blade fall through it. Suddenly Ethan was falling through the air and landed hard on the floor of a gym. Thankfully no one was around to see it which meant that Ethan could just jump up on a push bar and jump back through the hole he had created in the floor. Ethan came out of the floor running, annoyed now.

He ran towards the next block and stabbed through it but it caught him and he spun out as his blade exited it.

For the next hour Ethan got steadily more angry as he still couldn't get the hang of cutting through the blocks at speed. Ethan was just picking himself off the floor for the hundredth time when he saw Oliver standing in the corner of the room. He pushed himself up but his arm was grabbed by Garner.

The man hadn't spoken for the whole hour but now he said, "Look at him. How does he have a hope controlling his power if you can't? Do it now, whilst he's watching."

Ethan gritted teeth to stop him punching Andrew and started running again. He was running at the largest block, at least three meters long. An idea came to him and he grabbed his staff off of his back. Extending it and uncovering the blades Ethan let the energy flow out of his hands and up the staff. The energy covered the blade, turning it crimson and Q force it to sharpen. He had strengthened the metal, adding extra power to its blade.

Reaching the block Ethan jumped, spinning in the air and twirling his staff around so it cut below him. Landing on the other side of the block in a crouch Ethan looked back at the block. His blade had cut through it like butter, slicing the block nearly in two.

His momentum carried him further and Ethan hit the ground and rolled along the floor. He pushed himself up on all fours coughing. He was out of breath, his power was almost completely drained after using it for nearly an hour. His staff had clattered to the side and folded back up to the short stick

Ethan felt a small hand on his arm, pulling him up. Ethan managed to get to his feet but was shaking. Ethan heard a swoosh and saw an arrow flying at him. He tried to stop it but his body screamed in protested. Ethan tensed himself to get hit, he couldn't move in time. A foot away from him the arrow crumbled in the air.

Ethan looked and saw Oliver had his hand raised. He then looked across the rom and saw Clint lowering his bow. Ethan lightning fast pulled out his staff and span it in his hand, standing in a ready stance. What had Clint done, had he been ordered to kill him now?

"What are you doing Clint!" Ethan yelled across the room.

"Amazing. Did you see how he controlled it with his hand." Ethan snapped his hand round as Garner spoke behind him. "It's a good sign that he can direct the energy."

"It was your idea to try and kill me? Just to see Ollie's power!" Ethan yelled at him.

"Maybe you should have some faith in your young friend Ethan." Andrew said pompously.

Ethan felt his fist clench but pushed back the anger. He saw his energy retract back into his palm. Nothing good would come from punching the psychiatrist, even if it would make him feel better. Ethan turned back to Oliver who was looking at his hands with his mouth open.

"I felt it! It was like electricity running down them and then I felt the barrier in front of me." He said quickly.

"That's good, really good. Try it again now." Ethan said calmly.

Oliver stretched out his hand between him and Ethan. Ethan watched carefully, he strained and after a few seconds saw a shimmer in the air. Ethan swung his staff and hit the wall with it. The staff hit the wall and smashed through which caused grunt from Oliver.

Oliver dropped his hand and rubbed it, "Owww. That's must be what it feels like for Captain America when someone hits his shield. It was good though, it felt like it was-"

"Just a part of you, like waving an arm." Ethan finished for him.

They carried on for an hour, Oliver creating barriers and Ethan tested them, helping him up after every attempt. Oliver was getting frustrated that he couldn't create something strong enough to resist Ethan's attacks.

"How can I stop a bullet and then not be able to stop a staff!" Oliver yelled in frustration after his fiftieth attempt was broken.

"You aren't in a life or death situation with your body working on instinct. Control is always harder than blind rage or fear but it's through control that you start being able to do some good." Ethan said surprising himself. He sounded wise even though he didn't quite know here the words were coming from.

"I just wish I could do something better." Oliver vented before he turned to the closest concrete block and held out both his hands. Ethan saw a shimmer before a crack echoed around the room and the block splint in two. Oliver pushed his hands apart and the two blocks slid across the floor.

He managed to push the blocks five meters apart before he dropped his hands and swayed and Ethan had to catch him. Clint and Rumlow had rushed over with bottles of water whilst Hope and Garner were examining the rock.

It had been amazing to watch, the massive chunks of rock had to weigh tons and yet Oliver had moved them like they weighed nothing. Oliver had gone pale but he was still conscious as Ethan helped him back to his feet.

"Owwww. My head is spinning." Oliver said sounding exhausted.

"You pushed yourself to far, you have to learn your limits which are not up to pushing concrete blocks around." Ethan told him trying to stay calm around the boy. This wasn't helping his bid for freedom, showing off like this. Fury would see now the power that the boy had and would be weary to let it loose in the world.

"I felt it though, you were right it is just a part of me. I can see that now, it's like flicking on a switch." Oliver said still in rapture of his power.

Ethan was about to say more when Garner said, "The problem is not when you have control though. It is when you lose control that you can do damage." Ethan could feel his hands curl into fists again, Garner really knew how to get under his skin.

Ethan was taken aback by Clint though, "Ha, it's just the same as what I tell my son then. Don't get into fights or get angry at people."

"Yes, I suppose that is the essence of it." Garner said which made Ethan double take.

"What... That's what you recommend, not to get into fights. Does that mean-?"

"That I won't order his transferral to The Fridge. Yes it does, though some finer details must be talked over with Fury which I will let him discuss with you." Andrew said still keeping his perfect poker face.

Ethan just stood in disbelief, staring at the man who had threatened his family had just told him that he would get to have one, properly for the first time. Ethan turned around and pulled Oliver close. The boy reciprocated the gesture and hugged him back.

The two boys were only broken apart when, after a few seconds, Rumlow scowled and said "Do I have to stand here all day and watch soppy romance or can I get back to actual work." That got a laugh from everyone as they walked out of the room.

It was past one by the time they were finished and Ethan and Oliver wanted to get out of SHIELD to go and have a fun afternoon though once they had left the gym Ethan was stopped by Nat who was waiting in the corridor.

"Clint, could you take Ollie along to Amy please. I'll be right behind you." Ethan said as he motioned for Nat to follow him. Nat didn't say anything but Ethan saw guilt in her eyes. Halfway along the corridor Ethan pulled Nat into an empty meeting room.

Once inside, Ethan turned to her and said, "You knew didn't you. You knew that they were offering me a way out."

"It was the only logical course of action, other than to kill you. And if they wanted that I would have been inside the room not out of it." Nat said without emotion. She was being cold, even for her.

"And you thought I would take it, turn my back on all of you. On my family and doing good in the world. How could you even think that, you said it yourself. I'm the closest thing you've had to a brother and you're the closest thing I've had to a sister."

"I thought you would take the deal because that's what I would do." Nat said simply. Ethan stood there in shocked silence. Was it true? Would Nat really abandon them given the chance.

"Ethan, I would have been out of here faster than you would believe. The things I've done. There's no coming back from that. To have an out, the chance to start a new life. To find someone I could have a life with. I thought the Avengers would redeem me somewhat but I don't feel any better." Nat said without meeting Ethan's eyes. Ethan still couldn't think what to say, Nat had never opened this part of herself to anyone, even Clint.

Ethan knew there was a part of you that never recovered from the training they went through. He felt in himself sometimes, when he was as his lowest and darkest. It was a caged animal that felt horror and shame everytime he killed, something that had existed since he was six and had first killed.

"68." Ethan said simply.

"What?" Nat looked confused.

"68, that's how many I killed before I joined SHIELD. The first I killed at six. He was a boy at the Red Room. I slit his throat because he couldn't keep up. The ninth boy to die was the worst, I ripped out his tongue and watched him drown on his blood. Once I was fourteen my training was done my first mission was to find a man who was planning on betraying a weapons smuggling ring. I killed him and his entire family. I strung up their bodies as a message to anyone else thinking of talking. The youngest was nine, the same age as Oliver."

"Ethan, stop. You don't need to do this to yourself." Nat said slightly panicked.

Ethan shook his head, "No. Don't you see. This is what we must do. I still remember every face. A Swedish scientist. An Indian doctor. Three SHIELD agents. All people who would have made the world a better place but were killed. By me. That's what I have to carry with me everyday and it's the thought which keeps me going. The knowledge that some day I might be able to look into their eyes, wherever they've ended up, and not see hate."

"I'm not sure I could ever go back. Never relive those memories. I've had to bury them to deep." Nat said quivering. She was terrified but Ethan wouldn't let up. She had to go through this. It was the only way to heal.

"You have to. I believe your a good person Nat, now you just have to believe it." Ethan said firmly.

"Sao Paolo, The hospital fire. The orphanage. That's just the start of my endless crimes." Was all she managed to say before breaking down. Ethan saw her face drop and leaned in to hold her. "How do you manage it. I thought the only way to carry on was to hide this part of myself but you live it, own up to your past. I wish I had your strength."

"You do and you'll see it in time." Ethan let her go. He knew she needed to be alone now. Most people when trying to figure out their life would need someone but Ethan knew that Nat needed to be left alone now, she just worked differently. Ethan turned to the door and left, only stopping to say. "Just promise to come out with us tomorrow. Clint's family is finally back in town and we are all going to out." It was a lie, Ethan knew Clint's family was back but they hadn't made plans.

Nat nodded which gave Ethan his leave. Out in the corridor Ethan almost stumbled as foot caught slightly. Reliving his past had unnerved him even if Nat thought he had it contained. Ethan pushed it out of his mind, he was better now. He had slain his demons and was dedicated to doing good.

Ethan wove his way through the corridors, dropping down floors until he found Amy's office. She had been given a huge space at the end of a corridor. Ethan walked into her office and found a small desk with an incredibly attractive young man sitting behind it.

"Oh, um sorry. This must be the wrong office." Ethan said, he was sure it said Amy Waters on the door though. He was right as well, he saw Amy working at a large desk in an even larger office that was through a glass wall to his left.

"No, sorry Agent Jacobs. My name is Marcus Spencer. I'm Miss Waters new assistant. Is there anything I can do for you?" He said officiously.

"Um, well you could point me in the direction of Miss Waters." Ethan said slightly awkwardly. He had faced mob bosses and evil scientists who happened to be his father, why was he suddenly put of by a personal assistant.

"Of course, she is in her office. She is just finishing up before she leaves, you can wait if you wish." Marcus said whilst simultaneously writing an email.

"I thinks it's ok if I go in." Ethan said finally noticing a door set in the glass. He walked over and pushed it open and stepped quickly inside. As the door shut Amy looked up and smiled.

"One sec, let me finish this email." She said before furiously typing a last line and getting up. Stepping around her desk she looped her arms around Ethan's neck and kissed him. "Can you believe it. You're running around getting into trouble and they have the audacity to promote me. I'm SHIELD's new Senior Psychiatric Consultant. The job just became vacant and it ruffled almost every feather in the department because some of them have been trying for this job for fourty years and haven't got it and I just come waltzing in here and now they'll all hate me." Ethan kissed her again just to get her to shut up. "God I sound like one of my patients."

"At least your new office is nice, and your personal assistant seems... Ok." Ethan said awkwardly.

"I know right, total eye candy." She faultered when she saw Ethan pulling a fake frown. "Oh shut up, you can be eye candy to. If you ever stood in one place." She said as she punched Ethan's arm. "Anyway, how'd things go with Andrew?"

Ethan rubbed his arm as he said "well he was tough, but I softened up to him after he gave the all clear for me and Oliver."

"Aww that's great. I wasn't worried though, an idiot with no eyes could tell you two weren't a threat." Amy said happily as she readied her bag.

Ethan stopped her though, feeling uneasy again. "We need to talk about this though. I told Oliver that he's going to live with me. I mean the kid is basically a brother to me but this is huge for us. We've only just moved in together and I'm already talking about looking after a kid. A vulnerable and messed up one at that."

Amy turned back to Ethan and smiled at him. "You know, sometimes I wonder if I could love you more and then you do something that proves that I can. I love you for caring about him and I love you for thinking about me but Ethan, it's going to be fine. More than fine, it's going to be great. You never got a childhood, I'm not going to stop you salvaging one at the last possible moment and you call him a brother. If he's family to you he's family to me which means I love him for just being there."

Ethan relaxed after hearing that. He hadn't realised how worked up he had been over this until the knot in his stomach relaxed. He had been really worried that Amy wouldn't want this in their life. A kid when they were both young enough to still live at home with their parents.

"I love you to. As much as you could imagine and then double that again." Ethan said holding her hand.

"You're so sweet. Now come one, let's go before we get bogged down anymore." Amy said as she pulled them from the office.

Back in the corridor Ethan said, "wait a minute. Where is Oliver? Clint said he would bring him along to you." Ethan looked around as he pulled out his communicator and starred keying in commands.

"Maybe they just went to get a drink or something." Amy said sounding slightly worried.

Ethan saw screens on his mini tablet flash by as he finally found them. "Nope, there they are. It seems Clint took him for a bit of fun." Ethan said holding up the screen to show Amy. When she saw it she groaned.

Twenty floors up, Ethan and and Amy stepped out of the elevator into a large common room. This was the STRIKE recreational centre, the centre of SHIELD's most elite teams and a notorious place for the meaning of the phrase, getting out of hand.

The room was well furnished, with games consoles, massive TVs and huge plush sofas the room was everything you needed to hang out and chill after a hard mission. Ethan was watching the room though, he was watching the huge crowd of people standing in a ring all cheering.

Ethan saw through the cracks in the crowd Oliver sitting on the shoulders of two STRIKE men yelling into the crowd.

"That's when I took down twenty men, all on my own. In the middle of the desert with no water. All I had was my wits, my speed and my powers. They were no problem though, fell to their knees and begged to go home." Oliver yelled to a cheer from the crowd.

Ethan shook his head, it was stupid. The men were working him up when they had to leave. Ethan took his opportunity with the next lull in volume and put his fingers in his mouth. He managed to whistle loud enough to turn some heads which sent a sudden quiet over the whole crowd. Oliver slid of the two men's shoulders and walked to the front.

"What are you doing, I told you to go to Amy's office and wait but I find you up here. And you." Ethan said glaring at Clint whom he had spotted in the crowd, "What did you think bringing him up here."

"We were just having some fun, he needed a brake after the hard morning." Clint said a bit sheepishly.

"Honestly sir, it was just some fun. We weren't causing him any harm." A voice came from the crowd. Ethan saw one of the men who had had Oliver on his shoulders. He was a big man, looking powerful just like STRIKE liked.

"It's fine Ethan, we were just having a laugh." Oliver said quietly. He sounded worried, like a kid getting in trouble which made Ethan relax, he couldn't stay mad at him. Ethan smiled slightly before turning back to the crowd who had all fallen in line. Ethan eye balled them for a second before he said "Get out of here."

The soldiers all quickly relaxed and dispersed, trying to avoid Ethan's eye. Ethan pulled Oliver back to the elevator and rolled his eyes as Amy smirked at him. "What?"

"Just that a sixteen year old has more respect in there than most of the top agents." She said trying to hold back from laughing.

"You're just jealous that you're not a badass like me." Ethan said laughing as well as they stepped into the elevator. Oliver was staying quiet. Just before the doors closed Clint shoved his foot in the gap and they slid back open.

"You're such an idiot you know Clint. You know what that lot are like, they would have gotten him to BASE jump off the roof given another half an hour." Ethan said scowling slightly, but still had a light tone. He wasn't actually annoyed. He just needed a way to get his own back.

"Oh it was all fine, I woulda stepped in. Talking about stepping in, did you speak to Nat? I could tell she had some... Things she wanted to go over with you." Clint said still light.

"Yeah, we sorted it out but I did say that we are all going out tomorrow. That includes Laura and the kids. We're going to have a normal day. I call Steve and James, see if they're around." Ethan said watching Oliver. The kid looked tiered but was trying not to show it.

Clint nodded "That sounds great, we can all go to the fair or something. The one uptown is just about the only place that has a roller coaster that Nat enjoys." The bell dinged and the elevator opened onto the lobby.

Clint looked like he was about to say goodbye but was stopped by Dr Hope who had materialised next to him. "Trust me Barton, you will want to hear this." Clint grinned slightly in anticipation.

Ethan groaned and said, "What's up doc?"

Hope opened a file and pulled out some thin X-ray paper. Holding it up to the light Ethan saw a leg. "I wanted to show you these. I took these while you were asleep. It looks pretty abnormal to begin with, the bone density is much higher and your muscle concentration is huge but then I noticed this." She pointed to the top of the leg where it met the hip. "See there, I think the super serum DNA change you went through has accelerated your development. Your hip is completely fused and your knees are as well."

Ethan let that sink in without thinking what it meant. He saw Clint and Amy crack huge grins before it hit him. "SHIT!"

"Language." Hope said though she looked like she could barely contain herself.

"What is it?" Oliver said slightly confused.

"Well, are Avenger here is five foot six and that's how he's going to be for ever now. He's got no more growing in him." Hope said finally breaking down and laughing at Ethan's scowl. Clint had completely lost it and Oliver joined in. Amy was trying to contain herself but was failing.

"Haha, you're going to be the smallest superhero ever." Clint barely managed to say through his laughter. He recoiled though when Ethan punched his arm. "Owwww." Clint gasped as he rubbed it. "I'll get you back for that one on Wednesday."

Hope and Amy both rolled their eyes. "Oh yes, my favourite day of the year, when my infirmary is overrun with idiots."

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked confused.

Amy scowled and said "Wednesday is the annual fight tournament. Basically a massive testosterone grudge match which ends with Nat walking in and kicking all the boy's arses. It's actually fun to watch after you get over the showboating."

"Sounds good, I might give it a go. Some of you might even give me some competition." Ethan said cockily.

"Yeah, talk big now but we will see who's laughing when you spitting teeth on the floor." Clint called behind him as he walked away. "You two set a perfect example you know that" Amy said scowling again.

Ethan and Oliver laughed as Dr Hope walked away from them. "Let's go before you end up slogging it out in here."


	28. Chapter 28

They made their way back to the car and drove out of the building, following the road back into the city. Amy apparently knew a shopping mall which they were aiming for. Ethan and Oliver were still wearing their SHIELD clothes and they needed to change. As they walked into the mall, Amy was checking her phone again.

"Oh that's good, you're furniture from the old place has arrived, it's all being moved in. We just need to buy some new clothes for you two and Oliver needs all the basics for his room."

Three hours of 'fun' shopping later, Ethan and Oliver were barely on their feet. Both of them had been worn out from the hours of training and they looked ready to drop. They had accomplished something though, Oliver had an entire new wardrobe and Ethan had picked up a lot of new stuff. They had picked up bedding and a mat and some posters for the walls. Basically everything you need for a ten year old boy's bedroom.

Driving away from the mall, Oliver was sitting in the back with his eyes closed. Ethan could feel the tiredness behind his eyes as well. "You know, I think this is all going to be ok." Ethan heard from his left.

"Huh what?" Ethan said drearily.

"The three of us, living together. I think it's going to work our" Amy said also looking really tired.

They made it back home and all pulled themselves up the stairs. Opening the door Ethan looked around. The apartment was looking much better now, filled with furniture. The movers had actually done a good job arranging the furniture. The lounge had two sofas in an L facing the TV with a coffee table informs of them.

Ethan slumped down on the sofa. Amy slumped down next to him and Oliver dropped onto the other couch. "What should we do now?" Oliver asked from across the room.

"Pizza and a movie?" Ethan said reaching for his phone. Amy lay down on his chest and said "That sounds great." Ethan placed the call and flicked on a movie. They watched the new Superman movie, scoffing at how unrealistic it was and filled with to many explosions.

Waking up the next morning, Ethan's body moaned in protest, the bullet wounds were aching and his wrist hurt still though it felt better than it had been the day before, at this rate he might actually be able to fight in the tournament tomorrow.

Ethan pushed himself out of bed, he could hear something in the distance but couldn't tell what. Amy stirred and moaned at him but went back to sleep. Ethan got out of bed and pulled on some work out clothes. He hadn't run or worked out for nearly a week now and he missed it, even though it body was still in peak shape from the serum.

Ethan pushed the bedroom door open and heard the sound grow louder. It sounded like panting. Ethan looked down the hall and saw Oliver's door pushed open. Ethan looked around and saw the fourth door on the top floor open slightly. The panting was coming from behind it.

Ethan out two and two together and pushed the door open. Inside was a home gym, fully equipped for Ethan to push himself. There was heavy duty padding covering the floor with punching bags hanging from the ceiling and adjustable weights all around the room. Ethan crept inside and saw Oliver squaring off with a punching bag. He was punching into it weakly but looked determined.

Ethan watched silently from the side off the room, standing there for five minutes watching Oliver punch the bag. He wasn't letting up even though he must have been at it for awhile. He didn't look to bad, it was just that he was so small and didn't seem to have much power behind the swing.

"Twist into it, you'll get twice the power." Ethan said. He wasn't surprised when Oliver jumped out of his skin. He lowered his fists and looked sheepish. "Ethan, I. Uh I just wanted to try."

"You want to learn how to fight?" Ethan said matter of factly, trying to stay neutral even though he was conflicted inside. Ollie should learn to fight but he was still just a little kid.

"Well, yeah. After being taken and watching you get shot to save me even though I could have saved you with my power. I hated it but I want to be able to fight, so I don't fail someone else." Oliver said looking at his feet. So this is how he felt, it was good he was finally opening up.

"Oliver, you didn't let me down, you know that right. I wasn't even hurt that bad. You didn't fail." Ethan said crossing his arms. He had to hear Oliver's reasoning, he wasn't going to train him if this was just some stupid kid feeling of being left out.

"I know, but it just feels like I was given these powers, maybe I could do some good." He said quietly. Ethan smiled, Oliver sounded just like him, thinking about doing good. He walked over to the punching bag and held it. "Hit it."

Oliver looked up shocked. "Hit it." Ethan said simply. Oliver put his hands up and punched it. The punching bag jostled slightly and Ethan looked at him again. Oliver punched it again.

"Spread your feet, stand more side on." Ethan said pushing Oliver into the correct position. Oliver punched the bag a few more times before dropping his guard again, "You were shot twice and broke your hand, if that's not hurt badly what is?"

Ethan smirked and said "Trust me, you don't want to know."

An hour later, the clock struck nine and Ethan let Oliver go and have a shower. He had made good progress, learning a basic stance and was starting to understand how to punch. It would be months, maybe years before he would be able to actually take someone on, but classroom bullies would be able to match him before to long.

Ethan went back to his room and used his bathroom to clean up and changed into some jeans and a t shirt. It was a hot day and they were meeting everyone in and hour out by the fair. Amy had woken up and was dressed by the time he was out of the bathroom. She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Are you sure about this Ethan?"

"Sure about what?" He said simply, playing at not knowing.

"Don't play dumb. About training Oliver. He's not the stablest and you are trusting him with fighting skills." Amy said looking at him with big eyes.

"He's fine. I trust him to keep a lid on everything. He thinks he can make a difference in the world. With his power maybe he can, given a bit of time."

"So what, make him a SHIELD agent. It's what Fury would do but you know how dangerous it is. You can't force him into that life."

"I won't force him to do anything. I'm just giving him skills he needs. What he wants to do with his life is his choice."

Amy sighed, "it's good to hear you say that. I trust you to do the right thing at least." She kissed him again before letting him go and walked out of the room. Ethan heard her go downstairs and start talking to Oliver.

Ethan stayed upstairs though, mulling over what Amy had said. Was she right? Was he planning on turning Oliver into a SHIELD agent or even an Avenger. The kid had the power to do it and he looked like he had the resolution to train and learn how to fight.

But was it right? Ethan knew his life was hard, he could die any day. Oliver deserved a good life, he had gone through alot. Losing his parents, living in the orphanage and now gaining powers that he had to hide at all times. It couldn't b easy for him going through all that so to push him into SHIELD just seemed wrong.

"Ethan?" Ethan turned around to see Oliver standing at the door. "Amy said we need to go if we don't want to be late." Ethan grabbed his coat and pushed his badge into his pocket and walked over to the door, playfully pushing Oliver into the hall which made him scarper down the stairs. Ethan was only just behind after collection his Glock and a few knives from a locked box in the gym. He didn't feel safe if he didn't take them with him when he went out. He supposed that it was good that he didn't feel in enough danger to warrant taking his staff. It was shame his gauntlets were broken though, they were good for concealed weapons. Ethan would have to rebuild them with a few upgrades he had in mind.

Ethan was about to follow him out but he was suddenly stopped as he felt like a force hit him. His vision blacked out for a second before he saw a man standing in a field. Ethan looked closer at the man, he had no eyes. His head looked smooth, with skin running down to his nose. "She just wants to talk" it said in a deep measured voice.

Suddenly his vision darkened again before returning to normal. Shan stood there for a minute, shocked at what had just happened. He felt like he was having a mental breakdown, randomly seeing things. He tried to get his breathing back under control.

Walking out of the room Ethan went downstairs, meeting Amy and Oliver as they all left the apartment. As Ethan locked the door he heard the opposite apartment door creak. Ethan looked behind him to see it had opened a tiny crack but was slammed shut when he turned around. Ethan shrugged, it probably had just been open and the wind had slammed it shut.

Ethan followed Amy and Oliver down the stairs and they started driving towards the fair. It was about half an hour away along the coast and they passed the time listening to the top 40 charts. Oliver was very animate in the back, singing along to the songs he liked. Ethan and Amy joined in with his energy, singing with him. Ethan pushed the vision to the back of his mind, trying to not think about it.

They arrived at the fair five minutes before they had agreed to meet everyone but Ethan spotted Clint's SUV in the car park. The fair was packed with people. Everyone seemed to be taking a day off to go with their kids. Summer vacation wouldn't last forever so it was better to get out while you could.

Walking across the parking lot he spotted Nat, Clint and Laura talking outside the entrance with Lilia and Cooper who were running around. Ethan hugged Laura as he got close, saying "it's so good to see you again."

"It's great to see you to, it feels so long ago. And you must be Amy. It's great to finally meet you" Laura said as the girls kissed on the cheek. Oliver had already run off to play with Clint's kids.

Clint clapped him on the arm and said "How you feeling?"

Ethan jumped slightly, his mind still on the man with no eyes. "I'm good" Ethan said, a little to quickly. Clint shot him a questioning but Ethan just turned around to see James standing behind him which gave him a good out. "Hey James, where's Steve. Has no one seen him."

"Steve had to cancel, he's prepping something with Fury. Training mission I think." Nat said.

"Sounds like fun, can't wait for the match tomorrow though. You taking part James?" Ethan said quickly, still deflecting away from his earlier miscommunication.

"ugh, are you still going on about that tournament. I almost feel sorry for you James, you've by no hope and those two" Amy motioned at Ethan and Nat "won't be holding back so expect some loose teeth."

"Expect a loose head if Ethan uses his powers again." Clint said looking at Ethan with admiration. "It's almost a shame I can't join in. I've been reassigned to two weeks of cover and concealment training for Oliver. He's got some fun times ahead of him."

They all laughed because they knew how shitty training could be. Nat said "it gets better though. Steve is setting it up now but after the fights are over there's going to be an impromptu training mission. I'll tell you more once it's time but just know it's going to be fun for us and hell for everyone else including James." Everyone laughed again at James loud groan.

Walking into the park they all proceeded to have a fun day, going on roller coasters and other fair ground attractions. It was good for them all, Ethan thought, to get away from SHIELD and fighting to take just a normal day and have some fun. Three hours later they were all sitting in a field next to the fair ground, eating food they had bought.

"You were right Nat, that last roller coaster is lethal." Laura said looking back at the large coaster which had a death drop and two loops.

"You call it lethal I call it pure fun." Nat said, watching Clint and James who were playing soccer with the kids. Ethan was trying to relax but his earlier vision was still unnerving him slightly. He kept looking over his shoulder but didn't see anyone watching him who had no eyes.

"It's good to have some fresh air, spend some time together." Amy said.

Ethan was finally settling down, maybe his vision had been nothing. "Yeah, it's good to be away from people trying to kill us." As he said it the hairs on the back of his neck stood up like a shot. Ethan physically felt lightning shoot up his back. Everyone had gone quite and Ethan flipped around and stood up to see the blind man standing in the middle of the field.

His hand instantly went to the gun in his back pocket and he pulled it out, levelling it at the man. He saw out of the corner of his eye Clint shielding the kids and Nat standing ready with her gun as well.

Ethan slowly paced forward until he was ten feet away from the man. "Who are you." He yelled at him.

"My name is Gordon."

"What do you want?"

"To pass a message."

"That she wants to talk?" Ethan said remembering his earlier vision. Gordon tilted his head slightly.

"You have already see it then. Show me." He said staring Ethan down. How could he mange to stare someone down when he didn't have eyes.

"Why should I show you. You haven't told me who you are or what you want." Ethan said not letting his gun drop an inch though he had the feeling that the gun couldn't do much against this man.

"I told you my name is Gordon, but I'm still just the messenger. I can take you now to her now if you wish." Ethan still didn't move but he sensed Gordon looking at Oliver who was looking scared but Ethan saw his fists clenched. Oliver was ready for a fight if he needed to.

Ethan reacted quickly, dropping his pistol back into its holster he pushed out with his hands and two red beams shot out of them and flew at Gordon. A second before it would have hit him he vanished. Ethan pulled the beams back, for in them into a ring around him he looked around. Could Gordon go invisible?

He was suddenly thrown forward by a knee to his back. Ethan flipped back to be feet, slicing an energy sword through the air from the spinning circle but Gordon vanished again, instantly appearing next to him.

Suddenly, all around then, a blue shell appeared which completely encompassed them. Gordon reached out and grabbed his arm, Ethan tried to twist out of the grip but it felt like iron.

Ethan tried to pull against the grip and felt something deep within him pull. He felt a blaring stab as his arm lit up in Crimson light and he heard Gordon scream out in pain. Ethan knew it must be his power reacting to the attack.

Ethan saw black as he felt Gordon pull him. He felt like he was falling through blackness with his stomach doing flips to try and find the floor. A second later Ethan felt ground beneath him as he fell forward.

Ethan tried to stand up but almost threw up. Looking around he saw that he was in a small garden. He managed to stand on his second attempt and looked around. Gordon was lying on the ground next to where he had landed but looked unconscious.

Ethan spun around when he heard running. Powering up his energy ring he started the Crimson lightning spinning around him. Three seconds later two men burst around the corner. The first was a big African man with a bare skull. Behind him was a smaller American man with short blonde hair.

Panic and anger courses through Ethan. He had been attacked and Oliver was in danger from these people so he had to stop them.

"Gordon!" The blonde man yelled before stepping back with fear in his eyes.

The African man flitted his eyes between Ethan and Gordon's. He didn't look like he was afraid of Ethan but he was watching the energy flowing around him. "Calm down, we need to-"

Ethan didn't let him finish, launching himself into the air by shooting energy into the ground. Falling back down Ethan let the two beams relax and they became flexible allowing Ethan to swing the over his head. Each bean was about two meters long like red whips sailing through the air.

Ethan brought the whips down on the African man. The two whips should have cut through him but they hit his skin and slid down the side without leaving a mark. He tried to double kick the big man's face as he landed almost on top him but he grabbed Ethan's ankle with surprising speed and twisted, swinging him around and throwing him back across the garden.

Ethan landed with a crunch on the gravel and his head slammed into the ground. "Jesus Luke, you didn't need to throw him like that" Ethan heard the blonde man say.

"He attacked me Lincoln. He must have hurt Gordon. She said to bring him to her." Luke said before seeing Ethan getting back to his feet. He was pissed now, being thrown around. He would end this.

Ethan pushed out with his power, the Crimson energy in front of him coalescing into a single ball which Ethan threw at Luke. It slammed into him causing him to fly through the air. The ball dispersed after it hit Luke.

Ethan looked back at Lincoln who looked afraid now. He was obviously not used to seeing Luke being taken down. Next to Ethan Gordon disappeared but he didn't focus on that. He focused on Lincoln holding up his hand and lightning coming out of it.

Instantly Ethan moved the red energy in front of him where it flattened into a disk. The lightning hit it and crackled but Ethan managed to hold it. The lightning pushed his shield back, forcing it up against his hands. Ethan braced himself, pushing his feet deep into the gravel.

He felt the energy crackle against his skin. It didn't effect him, feeling like a cool sheet pressed against him but he could feel the lightning pounding it. It felt like he was being punched repeatedly. He could feel his power draining from him in his effort to keep the shield up.

It was getting worse though as Ethan heard people running from behind Lincoln. Looking through the shield he could see a crowd of people behind Lincoln. He was still shooting lightning out of his hands and Ethan saw the impact points on his shield.

Suddenly Lincoln let up but Ethan stayed tense, his muscles screaming in pain from the energy he had been pouring into his power. He felt a shift behind him as two bear arms wrapped around him. One wrapped around his right shoulder and pulled it away from hit body and the over one wrapped around his throat.

He felt himself being lifted off the ground as he tried to pull the arm away from his throat. He couldn't move it, even with his augmented strength the man was just too strong. Ethan was close to passing out, with black circles ringed in his eyes when he heard a woman shout "Luke, put him down!" But Ethan didn't wait.

Desperately he pushed out every ounce of strength he had. His entire body screamed in pain as a shockwave erupted from him. He was dropped as Luke was thrown backwards along with everyone in the crowd. Ethan fell to his knees, his power completely drained for the third time in two days. His vision was swimming as he saw the woman walk towards him, watching him as he fell over.

Ethan woke with a start in bed. Looking round he saw that he was in an empty room. It looked like the building was made in an old Chinese style, with a curved roof and wooden doors.

He swung out bed, groaning at the strong headache which made him feel like a jackhammer was trying to escape from his brain. He would have to count how long he hadn't felt like shit in the last few days. He had a feeling that it would be in the low minutes.

Pushing himself up he looked down at his arm, someone had taken off his cast but he couldn't feel any pain. The bruising had gone and Ethan noticed all the other little scratches had sealed up. Had someone healed him?

He twisted when the door to the room opened and readied himself when he saw that it was Lincoln who had walked in. He was holding a clip board and look surprised to see Ethan awake. "That was fast. I've never see someone come back from complete exhaustion within two hours before. And to think of the amount of injuries Amatis healed."

"Where the hell am I. Why did you bring me here!?" Ethan coughed back at Lincoln, feeling his power bubble back up to the surface.

"Um... Well she... Want-" Lincoln stuttered before the door burst open behind him. The woman from earlier walked in. "Honestly Lincoln, you're usually good at the introductions. Wait for me outside, I will talk to him."

Lincoln nodded and hurried out of the room.

"You look so like her." The woman said simply.

"Like who?" Ethan shot back confused.

"Your mother." Ethan snapped his head up suddenly to lock eyes with her. He saw truth there, though it just made him feel even more confused. "Come with me." The woman turned and walked out of the room and Ethan followed close behind her.

He followed her back out into the gardens. There were small groups of people all around. All of them were watching him closely though Ethan saw fear in their eyes. He supposed that he had burst into their home and almost wrecked the place with his power.

The woman lead him through the gardens until they passed through a small gap in a hedge and entered a secluded hidden garden. The woman sat down on a deck hair and stretched out, motioning for him to sit in the one next to her. For the first time Ethan got a proper look at her.

The woman looked Chinese but her most striking feature had to be the large scar going across her face and Ethan saw another one on her neck. He walked across the garden and sat on the deckchair next to her, keeping his legs on the floor so he could look at her properly.

"You healed me." Ethan said, almost feeling stupid with the simple statement.

"We did." The woman gave a simple answer. Ethan felt like he was being toyed with.

"Why?" He said forcefully, he was making it clear he didn't want to play games.

"My name is Jiaying. You are currently in Afterlife, a home for people like us." She said simply.

"Us? How many people are there with powers?" Ethan said watching her closely. He got an impression of false calm from her. She was outwardly calm but there was something bubbling below the surface.

"There are about 100 here but there are more all over the world. We call ourselves Inhumans. Our bloodline stem from ancient humans who interacted with fallen angels giving us our power" Jiaying said watching Ethan as closely as he was watching her.

Ethan sighed, lying back on the chair. His world had just gotten way more complicated. "You knew my mother. She was an... Inhuman?"

"Yes, she was one of my best students. It pained me greatly to hear about her passing. It means a lot to me to see you now though. She would have been proud to we you taking your place in our world."

Ethan looked back at her, feeling unsure. "How could you have known her. She died sixteen years ago. You don't look older than thirty."

Jiaying smiled at him. "You're to kind Ethan but we all have our gifts. Which brings me onto the topic of your powers. I've seen your energy projection. Powerful stuff, as I'm sure Luke and Lincoln can verify. But Gordon's been talking. He said that you saw him already. You knew what he was going to say."

Ethan felt her eyes bore into him, as if she was trying to pull loose threads of information out of him. He couldn't tell if he was intimidated by this woman. She had sent men after him but if it was true that she was a leader of some kind within this society and she was like him, maybe she could be trusted.

Ethan considered what to tell her, finally settling on the truth because he felt that she would know if he was lying. "It was like a blackout. One second I'm standing still and them I'm gone. I saw Gordon's face, and heard him say that 'she only wants to talk'"

Jiaying looked at him for a long time after he finished. Finally she seemed to reach a decision and said "I've heard that description before. You're mother used to say the same things. Trust your visions, they show the truth though you may not understand or expect them."

'Well that's great' Ethan thought. He had red energy flowing out his hands and could see tiny uncontrollable glimpses of the future. What else could he ask for. 'I need to stop being so sarcastic.'

"What about the energy manipulation. Could my mother do that too?"

"No she could not. How you ended up with two powers I have no answer unless they are connected which would make you one of the most powerful Inhumans I've come across. Your energy powers have been spoken of in ancient texts of our kind. They called it Plasma. Theoretically you can do anything with it. It will cut through almost anything, can take on any shape. There are even stories of Inhumans turning their bodies into energy allowing them to phase through walls."

Ethan sat in awe for a second. Looking at his hands he realised that he had barely scratched the surface of what he could do. If he kept pushing himself he could be a hugely powerful force for good. "What do you want from me though? You brought me here and looked after me but you haven't actually said why. I doubt it was out of some devotion to my dead mum."

"I want you to take your place in the world Ethan. Your mother would have wanted you to join your people. To come home." Ethan was shocked. Was this his home? With people like him. "Since your powers came to light, people have only wanted to control you. Now you can be free of that."

"Ethan swung his legs off the chair and stood up. "This is the second time I've been asked that in a day. If I wanted an out. My answer is still no. I'm a SHIELD agent. I'm an Avenger. Nothing can stop that and I can't turn my back on all that. So don't come after me again. Or Oliver for that matter. He's to young to be caught up in all this."

Jiaying sighed before standing up as well. "I can not force you to join us. It is a shame, your mother would have loved to see you here. Gordon will take you back, with the assurance that we will not interfere with you again. Just know though that our house is always open to you."

Ethan nodded but he didn't question his decision. He had already made his choice,to throw in with SHIELD. Nothing would change that now, not even the discovery that he was part of an ancient race and not just a freak.

All of a sudden, he heard a sound behind him, like a flash and the world went black again. Light flared signalling that he was back in the real world and he only slightly stumbled before he could right himself. Looking around he saw that he was back in his office in the Triskellion.

On his desk sat his gun and phone, waiting almost innocently for him. He quickly holstered the pistol before quickly finding Amy's contact and dialling. A second later she picked up.

"Ethan, where the hell are you. What the hell happened. You scared the shit out of me. Clint and Nat are going crazy trying to find you." She said frantically.

"I'm really sorry. It's a long story. I was-" suddenly his phone made a loud screech and flashed red.

'LEVEL 10 ALERT' appeared on the screen in brick letters. Level ten was bad. It meant full war and the highest emergency. Ethan knew he had to respond.


	29. Chapter 29

"Oh shit. Amy I've got to go. I'll talk to you later." Ethan said and hung up with Amy protesting. Quickly finding Clint on his phone he hit dial.

Clint picked up a few seconds later. "Ethan where are you. We've been searching all over!"

He said uncharacteristically seriously.

"It's a long story. I saw the level ten. What the hell happened?" Ethan said trying to stay calm.

Clint took a second to reply. Ethan could here raised vices and people yelling. Clint was obviously in the middle of something "Get down to Briefing Room B. I'll catch you up there." He said before signing off quickly.

Ethan took off running out of his office and down the hallway to the stairs. The elevator would be to slow as Ethan could run faster than it. Dropping down levels so fast the floor numbers seemed to blur. Arriving at the door to the briefing room in less then a minute.

Bursting in he found a full room of people all watching Fury who was standing at the front. The room was built like a university lecture hall and a lot of eyes turned to him as he looked around for Clint.

Spotting him at the front he slid into the row next to him, whispering "what is going on?"

"The Mandarin. He's made his move." Clint said gravely. Ethan was confused, "who the hell is the Mandarin"

"I was going to catch you up but you were going through a lot. He's a terrorist, the best and he's managed to detonate a bomb in New York two days ago. Stark was brought in until his house was blown up yesterday. We think he managed to get out but we are not 100% on that."

"Shit. You should have told me, I could have helped. If Tony is dead what are we going to do?" Ethan said with anger pulsing through him. After being brought up in the dark he hated to be kept there.

"Stark escaped, destroying his house wouldn't stop him but he doesn't matter anymore." Clint said still looking grave.

"What do you mean?" Ethan said confused but Clint just nodded at a screen behind Fury that Ethan hadn't seen. On it there was a picture of a plane with a burning hole in the side. Emblazoned on the side was an American eagle and the words Air Force One.

Shit

Twenty second passed while Ethan processed the information before he managed to hear Fury again.

"I'm putting Agents Jacobs and Barton in charge of search and rescue. We must find him. The last thing we want is the President being executed on television." Fury said with his eyes.

With that Fury made his exit and Clint got up, pulling Ethan to the front win him. "Ok I want two STRIKE teams on full alert status. Rumlow will head alpha and Ethan will take bravo. Be ready to leave with in five minutes of a call. I want everyone else sweeping for any sign of the President or Stark. Report to me any details as soon as you hear them."

Clint was barely finished before Ethan was out of the room and running to a mission control room that had been allocated to them. He smashed his hands on a keyboard until a tracking program that he had designed was pulled up. How would he find the President though, it was four in the evening and he had been missing for just under and hour and there was no trace.

Ethan thought through all the details he knew. Stark had attacked a house in Miami before flying to airforce one. Where would he go now, and what was the next step if the Mandarin's plan. There had to be a wider network otherwise what was the point. Someone must have gotten Mandarin men onto the plane.

And where was Stark and Warmachine now? Ethan knew that if he found them he would find trouble. And trouble would be where the Mandarin is. Ethan started typing, frantically coding a new tracking algorithm to try and trace Stark flight patterns.

It took him an hour to get it ready, Stark was notorious for not wanting to be followed and he hadn't made it easy. With the search for Stark on, Ethan turned his attention back to the Mandarin. Easily bypassing the security on the house he found files with the name Aldridge Killian all over them.

The name didn't ring a bell but after a quick search he found out everything he needed to know. He was a biochemist, leading research into regrowing limbs. It was real philanthropic stuff until Ethan found Killian's SHIELD file. It was massive, with years of reports linking him to experimental drugs called Extremis.

It was nasty stuff, Ethan could barely tell what it would do to a person. At best regrow their limbs, at worst severely mutate the body. If Killian had used it to create an army then there is a huge threat out there. Just before he finished his search through Killian's file one little thing caught his eye.

Killian had made a call to a government mobile. Tracing the number, his eyes widened in shock. He grabbed his phone and called Clint. "You need to get over here now."

Clint ran into the room fifteen seconds later. "What?"

"I found the Mandarin. His name is Aldridge Killian. He's been hiring mercs and performing tests on people for years. Worst thing is though, I found this." Ethan brought up the phone records. "You know what that means."

"That the Vice President conspired to kidnap the President. Shit, I'd do anything for a simply mission right now. I'm sending Rumlow to bring him in." Suddenly red flashing lights started blaring all around the centre console. Ethan was back typing at his computer. "I found them, they're twenty minutes out on an abandoned oil rig. It's connect to shore but it's going to be tight getting out there." He said whilst getting up.

"Get the president back alive, that's number one priority." Clint said as Ethan took of running. He made it to the hanger in under three minutes, managing to change into his combat vest and trousers in less than a minute.

Running onboard the Quinjet, the ramp closed behind him and the bird took of immediately. Looking around Ethan saw his team staring back at him. James was sitting closest to the door but Ethan barely recognised the rest. It was odd to see James properly knitted out for a fight. He had is rifle ready in his hands and was checking it's firing mechanism. Next to James sat a small woman whom Ethan had never seen before. She was small with eyes that flitted around the room like a nervous twitch.

Opposite them sat a man who looked exactly like you would expect an agent to look like. He had a sharp face except for his uneasy expression. He looked young but Ethan didn't question it. He didn't have time to worry about his team. Ethan recognised the last guy on the jet. It was the guy who had had Oliver on his shoulders back at HQ. He had learnt that the guy was called Stewie but everyone seemed to call him Dozer.

Ethan could imagine why, he looked like he could demolish a house just be pushing against it. Walking to the front of the plane he pulled a screen out from a side panel and expanded the image on it.

"Ok, here is where we're going. It's an abandoned dock yard. UAV shows several hostile signatures. With reports of what the Extremis can do, I'm not taking any chance so don't hold back. We are going in on the ground, pulling out the VIP and we are getting out of there. Only then will we double back to take out hostiles. Understood?" Ethan said officiously. When he got four nods back he sat down and started checking his equipment.

Ten minutes out he suddenly felt dizzy. He gasped as his vision went black and he suddenly saw metal platform. It formed a square and the Iron Patriot armour was hanging from wires in the middle. Looking at the face Ethan saw the President.

Just as suddenly as it had came, it left and Ethan felt rough. It felt like the power had been forced into him and he coughed at the eerie feeling it gave him. It was another vision,it had to be. He had just seen the future, or a possible future. He knew where to go know, what to do.

Three minutes out he stood up again and pulled his staff out from across his back. He could do more damage with it than with a rifle but he grabbed one anyway and slung it across his shoulder. His team all readied up. James had his sniper rifle. The lady, who called herself Twitch, had a small rifle which she carried easily. Ethan saw a small screen strapped to her wrist and guessed she must be the teams tech expert.

Dozer picked up a massive SAW, the barrel of which was about the same size as Ethan's arm. Loading it with a drum of bullets he looked like he could rip through an army. The perfect looking agent was called Neil. He had only just gotten out of the academy and this was his first proper op.

"You need a code name." James said standing at the back of the jet as it made a fast decent towards the rig. Ethan could see small jets of flame and explosions as Iron Man flew around shooting at people who seemed to be firing balls of fire back at him.

"Well you better come up with one fast. We're twenty seconds out." Ethan said readying himself. The back of the jet opened and Ethan jumped. The others would wait for ropes to drop letting them fall slowly to the floor but Ethan didn't waste time.

He landed with a smash of the ground and looked up. Two men were standing nearby and had shocked expressions. They hadn't seen them coming, the jet's stealth mode worked at least. A second later they had recovered and both of them opened their mouths wide.

Ethan just managed to move his staff in the way and power up a shield around it before fire shot at him. Ethan felt the incredible heat as it singed his arms but the shield held and gave him the chance to leap at the men the second the fire stopped. Launching himself across the ten metre gap he released the blades on the end of his staff and honed their edge with his power.

The Plasma cut right through them as Ethan landed, slicing the arm of the first man before stabbing his chest and swinging his blade around to impale the second man's throat. Ethan looked behind him to see his team all in a line watching him open mouthed.

"Now that's spooky." Neil said in awe.

Ethan smiled, twirling his staff. "That's it. Spooks can be your code name."

Spooks moaned slightly and said, "but that's a shit na- HOLY CRAP that guy just moved." Ethan span around to see the guy he impaled in the throat stand up. The wound looked like molten lava but was sealing itself closed.

A second later his head exploded as Dozer's SAW ripped through it. He flew backwards an seemed to stop moving but Ethan couldn't tell if it had actually stopped him. He felt a pull on his arm as the second man tried to grab him before a bullet from James put him down.

"So we've got fire breathing zombie people who won't die. It's just like a video game." Twitch said sounding ecstatic.

"Let's go" Ethan said before he started running towards the small jetty that ran out to the oil rig. At the end of the bridge were two more guards but they were easily taken out by Ethan and Spooks with quick shots to the head. "Get in that tower Scope." Ethan's aid using James nickname.

James ran off, firing a grappling line to get up the tower faster whilst the other four members of the team ran out onto the jetty. They could see the battle raging ahead of them but didn't encounter any more guards. Ethan supposed that they were probably preoccupied by the flying suite of rockets and lasers jetting above their heads.

"Dozer, you hold the jetty, try and keep our exit clear. Twitch and Spooks, find Killian. I'll get the president." Ethan said quickly.

"But the President could be anywhere. How will you find him in this mess." Dozer said logically.

"I already know where he is" Ethan said pointing upwards. "Holy shit." Was all Spooks could say. Just like in his vision the President of the United States was suspended by two wires wearing the Iron Patriot armour.

"Well how are you going to get up there." Spooks said but Ethan barely heard it because he was already running. Reaching the first ledge that would let him climb up to the President he jumped and swung onto the metal grill. He didn't have time to look back to check on his team as he was running again.

Looking up he roughed out a path to the President. It would take another four jumps up levels but there was at least ten fire breathing guards in his way. Pressing the comm unit in his ear he said "James, you reading me?"

"Loud and clear. What do you need?" He said in between shots.

"Oh just for you to clear me a path. Nothing to much." Ethan said as he prepared to jump up to the next level.

"I can take out seven, so you better take out the last three. Go left and then up a level." Ethan started running again. Jumping up a level he was confronted by two guards. He saw three more lying on the ground with large holes in their heads. James really was as good as everyone said. Ethan didn't think he could manage three head shots from that distance in that time.

Leaping forward he twisted in the air, grabbing the head of the first guard, twisting it as he flipped over him Ethan felt his neck pop. Throwing him by the neck, the first guard hit the second causing him to fall backwards off the ledge.

Jumping up another two levels he was finally near the President. Pulling his rifle off his back, Ethan shot the last guard on their side of the rig. Giving himself a second to breath he saw lights flashing in the distance. There were suite flying in over the water, dozens of them. How was Tony controlling so many at once?

Reaching the edge of the ledge Ethan called out. "Sir! Are you ok?"

The President started at his voice, looking around at him. "Jacobs! I'm fine, just get me down from here. Killian said that the suit would explode!"

Ethan looked down, there was a ten story drop below the suite of armour. Looking at the gaps between the pillars a really bad idea came to Ethan. "Dozer, meet me underneath the President."

"What! What are you going to do?" Dozer came back through the comms with his deep voice sounding panicked.

"Don't ask." Ethan said as he took a few steps back. "Ethan, that's the President!" James shouted through the comms.

"I know right, makes it even more fun." Ethan said as he started running. He heard a gasp over his comm as both Dozer and James held their breath. "Jacobs, what are you doing!?"

A second before he leaped even took two shots with his rifle, cracking the chains either side of the President. He swayed slightly but stayed up there until Ethan leaped and caught on to him which caused the chains to snap and they fell.

Holding onto the heavy armour, Ethan flipped them around in mid air so he was on top and pushed out with his power. He attached four cords of Plasma to the Iron Patriot suit and made them to become flexible. Effectively he had attached four bungee cords to the President and was plummeting towards the ground.

Fifteen feet above the cement the cords suddenly became taught. Almost throwing Ethan off and slowing them considerably. Just before they would bound back up Ethan let the chords go and they fell to the ground. They landed hard but a lot slower than they would have if he had just broken the chains.

As they hit the ground Ethan rolled of the suit and coughed on the ground. Using his power so suddenly had taken a lot out of him but he had saved the President at least. A few seconds later Dozer was kneeling over him. "Sir are you ok?"

Ethan coughed again as he pushed himself up. "I'm good" looking over at the President he said, "Sir are you ok?"

Dozer him push himself up in the suit but they both tensed as they heard someone running towards them. Ethan pulled out his pistol and levelled it at the man running around the corner but dropped it when he realised that it was James Rhodes. He ran and knelt down next to the President, pressing a button on the back of the suit which opened it up.

Dozer helps pull the President out and Rhodes got into the suit. "Sir are you hurt at all?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Colonel Rhodes, get up there and blast the bastards away. If you would pardon my language." Rhodes nodded and blasted off.

"You don't need to apologise sir, I can't even vote yet." Ethan said which got a laugh out of Dozer and the President. "Perhaps we should get you out of here." Ethan said after hearing a loud explosion behind him.

"Perhaps you are right." The President said looking around.

Keying into his comm Ethan said "James, cover our route out."

"I see you, don't worry you've got a clear run to the jetty." James said.

Pulling the President with him he started running back to the jetty. Dozer brought up the rear and they didn't see anyone until they were back on the pier. "Twitch, Spooks. Where are you?"

Crackling gunfire burst over the comm as Twitch yelled into it. "We're pinned down. We can see Killian but he's surrounded by fire breathers."

Ethan felt desperate, his mission was to escort the president to safety but his team was in danger. He looked back at the oil rig when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Go on son, protect your team." The President said.

"Thank you sir, Dozer get him out of here." Ethan said before powering back onto the rig. Pushing himself to the limit he was running as very high speeds towards Twitch and Spooks' signal. Jumping up to a second floor window he found himself in an office space with small cubicals. Most of them were on fire and Ethan spotted Twitch and Spooks crouching down behind a half wall that went into a kitchen.

Sliding in next to them he said "How's it going?"

"What were you just dropping in. Spooks took a hit on the arm and there are three more of them back there." Twitch said looking exasperated.

Standing up Ethan said "jeez you don't complain much do you." Before using his staff to polevault round the corner, slamming into two guards who were about to come round the corner. Smashing his staff through the first one's head he managed to hit the second without even slowing down. The third guards was further down the hall and he was ready for Ethan.

Breathing fire at the same time Ethan spun his staff the jet of flame hit the shield. Yelling behind him "Go!" He saw Twitch pull Spooks out of the back entrance. Twist his shield so the fire glanced of to the side Ethan pushed out with his power and started spinning the shield.

The fire breather even stopped to watch what he was doing. The disk was spinning like a saw now and Ethan mentally threw it down the hallway and the disk went through the man, slicing him cleanly in half. Ethan walked back down the hallway but turned back when he heard a sizzle behind him.

The man he sliced in half was glowing, both parts of him and it looked bad. Ethan had heard about the explosions and started running reaching the other end of the hallway he found himself in a dead end.

Shit shit shit was all that ran through his mind. He had at most thirty seconds and the wall was pure concrete. Think think think.

Ethan desperately tried to think of a way out but all he could think of was Jiaying saying he was powerful.

Wait. That was it, Jiaying had said that he could become pure energy, maybe that meant...

Ethan took two steps back and ran. Praying for whatever it was worth he jumped at the wall as he heard the explosion behind him. Closing his eyes he felt like he jumped into a bucket of ice before he felt cold air. Opening his eyes again he realised he was outside and falling.

Flipping over he landed with a crunch a story down. He landed just in time to almost be caught on another explosion. Luckily he was still on the ground and the shrapnel mostly passed over his head though a second later flames enveloped him. Ethan jammed his eyes closed and waited for the end but was shocked to not feel any heat.

Opening his eyes again he saw the flames passing over him. His subconscious mind had created a plasma coat around him. It couldn't be more than a centre metre thick and yet it protected him perfectly.

The moment the explosion stopped Ethan flipped himself up and ran over to Tony. He was lying on the ground, his suit completely disintegrated around him. Suddenly he tensed as he saw a glowing figure standing next to Tony with her back to him. Ethan pushed out with his power, grabbing her with lines of plasma he was about to rip her apart when Tony shouted out "ETHAN NO!"

Ethan faltered and looked again. The Extremis woman was Pepper, Tony's girlfriend. He let the lines fade and stumbled slightly as his energy faded. He had used his power a lot in the last few minutes and felt completely drained for about the fortieth time in three days.

Ethan felt a hand grab him and pull him back up as Pepper caught him. She was strong, augmented by the Extremis. Ethan could feel the heat pulsing under her skin though it wasn't burning, more like sitting by a warm fire.

"What happened?" Ethan croaked.

"Killian happened. What about the President? Is he safe?" Tony asked sounding exhausted. Ethan nodded and looked back when he heard running. Twitch and Spooks came running around the corner before stopping in front of Ethan.

"Sir, are you ok?." Twitch asked sounding concerned yet. Spooks looked around and locked eyes with Tony. "Oh, oh Mr Stark. Are you hurt?" Ethan rolled his eyes at the sound of awe in Spooks voice.

"Come on, we need to get the President back home." Ethan said pulling Spooks away from his reverent gaise. Twitch stooped to pick up something and Ethan saw that he had almost walked off without his staff. He was in such a state that he had forgotten it.

Catching the staff when she threw it to him he said "thanks before starting to walk away."

Stark called after him "Hey Ethan." Which caused him to stop and look around, "I need to get you down to New York. Trust me when I say you've got to see the new tower. The plans are almost done."

"Keep needing me to save your ass and I may just come." Ethan called back before walking away again. Once they were back on the jetty Spooks managed to say, "We just saved Tony Stark!"

Ethan rolled his eyes again and said "Get over it Spooks, we saved the President as well remember." Once they had reached the shore, Ethan pinged the jet and found it parked just outside the main compound. Walking over Ethan saw the ramp down and Dozer and Scope were waiting for him.

"I though I told you to take off." Ethan said trying to sound official even though he was barely awake.

Dozer looked apologetic when he said, "I tried, he overruled me. Said we left no man behind. I tried to-" Dozer was interrupted by the heavy footfall of someone coming down the ramp.

As the President walked down the ramp all the SHIELD agents stood to attention. The president waved away their formal stance and all of them relaxed. Ethan motioned for the team to get on the jet and they all walked up, dropping their gun off in cases.

The President waited for them all to leave before he said, "Agent Jacobs. I once again find myself in your debt. You do your country proud. I realise now that I made the wrong choice when I ordered you to be put out, how it must have felt to have been abandoned by your country I can't even imagine and for that I apologise. You truly are an amazing man Jacobs."

Ethan felt shocked. He hadn't expect the man to be so blunt with an apology and barely managed to say "Thank you sir." With any dignity. The President gave him a curt I'd before he walked back inside and sat down. Ethan walked on board and tapped the pilot on the shoulder. He wants to fly the bird back because he didn't feel like spending thirty minutes in the tense cargo bay.

Half an hour later Ethan was lowering the jet on the front lawn of the White House. He probably should have gone somewhere more subtle but he didn't feel like prolonging the handover so went direct. It was already past midnight and he just wanted to get home.

Lowering the ramp he accompanied the President down the ramp where they were swarmed by secret service men and presidential aides. Ethan was barraged with questions and even ordered to come inside for a debriefing by some very high ranking General's but he ignored it all and stepped back onto the jet. No one dared follow him onto a SHIELD plane which meant that it was finally quiet after the pilot had taken off again.

Checking his communicator Ethan read a message from Fury. He slumped down in a chair smiling. Scope was watching him and said, "What's so funny?"

"We saved the President and it was only our first mission." James was smiling now too. Twitch and Spooks both leaned in.

"What do you mean sir? Our first mission." Twitch asked.

"Cut the sir stuff. Makes me feel old. I just got a message from Fury, as of today we have all been transferred to a new STRIKE team. Fury gave us Omega as a code name." Ethan said reading off his communicator.

Everyone else looked shocked. "We're a team now!?" Spooks said in awe. Looking back down at his communicator Ethan read out the rest of the message.

"Though individual members may be called upon for missions Omega will operate as a high risk mission response team."

"Sounds like this is gonna be fun." James said with a smirk, whose gonna tell Dozer. They all looked at Dozer who was curled up in the corner with his face pressed up against the bulkhead. He was fast asleep and snoring loudly. They all laughed and Dozer jerked awake.


	30. Chapter 30

Half an hour later Ethan was pushing open his apartment door, sliding in barely making a sound. The lounge light was on and Amy was sitting on the couch reading a book even though it was well past midnight. She looked up when he pushed the door open and stood up to drop her arms around his neck and kiss him.

"Oliver is already in bed. I didn't let him stay up to see you but we were both worried after you vanished." She said sounding upset.

"Well it wasn't exactly my plan for the day. I wanted to get some ice cream." Ethan said making Amy smirk. She yawned which Ethan took as his que to sneak past her and pull her up the stairs. They both dropped into bed and almost immediately went to sleep.

Waking up the next morning was difficult. Ethan's body was still exhausted from the previous day's excursions but he managed to get out before he was to late for work. Amy had already left so he went downstairs after getting dressed, finding Oliver eating a bowl of cereal he said, "Morning. Sleep well?"

"Did you save the President last night?" Oliver said sounding confused. He nodded at the TV and saw it muted on the news which had the headline 'Triton saves President' across the bottom.

"You know, all in a day's work." Ethan said laughing as he made his breakfast.

"The President gets captured everyday?" Oliver said laughing as well.

"No he doesn't, but I some how end up on the wrong side of a world ending event a little to often." Ethan said sliding in next to Oliver at the breakfast bar. Oliver had his hand out and Ethan saw the remote for the TV hovering in midair, surrounded by the blue glass that showed Oliver's power was at work.

The controller glided across the room and landed next to Oliver. "It's good. You're getting more control over your powers."

"I've been practicing, just on small things. I was wondering though, why are our powers so similar. I mean, we both manipulate energy just mine is blue and your's red." Oliver said making a wave of energy flow through the air. Ethan pushed out with his powers, surrounding Oliver's wave with a bubble of red energy. He felt Oliver pushing against his wall with his power but saw the energy in the bubble disperse.

"Ugh, you have so much more control than I do. It felt like hitting a brick wall." Oliver said clench his hand on the table.

"You'll get there. Just keep practicing." Ethan said getting up and grabbing his bag.

"Well some of us don't have an endless stream of bad guys to beat up to practise our powers on" Oliver said still laughing.

Arriving at the Triskellion, Ethan was surprised by how quiet the lobby was. Everyone must have been watching the fights. Walking with Oliver through the building Ethan was starting to notice a trend. Most of the women in the building seemed to be working at their desks and yet all the men where somewhere else.

Leading Oliver through the build Ethan finally found Clint waiting for them in a small training room. "Hey Clint, where is everyone?"

"They are all up in the gym getting pumped for the tournament. Do me a favour and wipe the floor with them. So many people have been bragging and calling people out. The betting is getting higher than ever. For the first time in about ten years people are allowed to bet on first place."

"What do you mean? Why couldn't they bet on first place?" Oliver said sounding confused.

"Because Nat always won but I bet she's worried this year." Clint said with a laugh. Ethan joined in when he realised that he was the reason Nat was worried. She didn't want o lose her title.

"Can I see the fight between you two! Pleaseeeee" Oliver begged.

"Maybe if you listen to Barton today. You've got a lot to learn and not long to learn it" Ethan said trying his best stern voice.

"Which is why we should get started. Ethan, could you stick around for a while. I need to use you as an example."

Ethan then proceeded to get beaten up by Clint as he was told not to resist to the basic defensive moves Clint showed Oliver. They were mostly just evasive moves that would allow Oliver to escape without fighting. It was up to Ethan to teach him what to do when he had to fight.

Ethan left them after a few hours, letting Clint focus on teaching Oliver. They another two weeks to practice and Oliver was going to be bruised and exhausted by the end of it. Clint wouldn't go easy if he thought that Oliver needed to know more.

Finding a changing room Oliver changed into his combat trousers and a workout shirt which was skintight. Better to fight in as it wouldn't get in the way. Working his way back up to the main gym Ethan found it packed wth people all working out and warming up.

Ethan was about to join them when he saw Steve who pulled him out of the gym and into an empty meeting room.

"What's up?" Ethan said cheerfully. Steve looked uncharacteristically happy with a big grin on.

"I just went to see her" he said still grinning.

"Who? Oh you mean Peggy! She's in the US? When did she move?" Ethan said feeling glad for his friend. Steve had been putting off speaking to her since he came of the ice.

"Yeah, she is back over here. She said about speaking to you. It was great seeing her again but it's just been so long for her though, her whole life has gone by and I've barely started mine." Steve said looking a million miles away.

"She had an amazing life. She was one of the first people to trust me you know. I went to see her, after New York with Amy. She gave me something. She saw something in me that I wouldn't understand." Ethan said. He felt odd talking to Steve about the woman that he had loved over eighty years ago, probably still loved.

"She said she had met you. I can't believe I didn't have the courage to see her before. I was a coward but she was the one thing left from when I went into the ice." Steve said suddenly turning sad.

Ethan clapped him on the shoulder, he wouldn't let the Captain cry over a lost girl. "She's not the only thing left. At least three Howling Commandos are still alive, and those are just the ones that I tracked down. They want to see you Steve, you should try it. Reconnect, maybe you can find some closure there. Now come on. Don't think I'm going to go easy on you in that ring."

Steve nodded slightly, trying to stay looking neutral. "I can't fight, I'm out of here in a minute."

Ethan sighed and nodded, just what he needed, it was a shame, he enjoyed his sparring with Steve. Ethan made his way back into the gym, everyone was gone, probably already downstairs for the fights.

Following the sounds of people out of the room he walked down floors until he arrived in a huge stadium complex. The walls were concrete and the whole place felt dank and cold. Judging from the light trickling in through some skylights they were underground.

On one wall, a massive score board was being projected with names and numbers next to it. At the top there was a huge face. The whole tournament was done King of the Hill style so Ethan didn't know what the names and numbers meant.

He spotted his own, second to the top with 1/3 next to it. Nat was the only person above the with a 1/2 next to her name. Realisation hit him when he looked below the scoreboard and saw Twitch sitting behind a large table surrounded by people. They were all waving money and Ethan realised that he was watching a huge amount of betting going on.

Pushing his way through the crowd he finally saw the fight ring. It looked like an old boxing ring with dust bouncing off the surface. It had people all around the side yelling into it and shouting different chants. Looking in the ring, Ethan saw Dozer and Spooks squaring off with eachother.

Dozer struck first, trying a powerful overhead swing which Spooks manage to dodge. Their fight carried on and Ethan quickly got the measure of both fighters. Both of them were very good, it was an even matchup. Dozer had raw power on his side, being able to throw punches that could probably break Spooks in half whereas Spooks had some decent speed on him and could slip under Dozer's guard.

Ethan knew who would win though, he could see it in Spooks' eyes. He couldn't keep it up. Dozer would get a lucky hit in eventually and win. Twenty seconds later Ethan's prediction came true and Spooks dodged to late letting Dozer hit him squarely across the face. Spooks went flying back, slamming into the corner post and hitting his head. Ethan was sure he was out of it. He didn't even think he would get up after a hit like that.

People were rushing forward, about to grab Spooks out of the ring but he waved the away. How he was still conscious was a mystery but why he would carry on fighting was an even greater one. Dozer was almost smiling now, strolling over to Spooks, ready to throw him out of the ring and win the match but at the last second Spooks spun and hooked his legs around Dozer's waist. Twisting madly he managed to throw Dozer of balance and they both went toppling out of the ring.

Ethan waited with baited breath, both members of his team were hanging off the ropes, trying desperately to push the other off. Dozer finally won out. Spooks was way more injured and Dozer managed to kick him off. Spooks landed with a hard crunch on the ground and the crowd groaned at his pain.

Ethan pushed forward again and knelt at Spooks' side. "You ok?" He said quickly.

Spooks was barely conscious, blood pouring down his face from the punch. He managed a quick nod before he fell back unconscious. Ethan nodded at a few men carrying a stretcher and they pulled him onto it taking him upstairs.

Ethan turned back to the ring, Dozer was waiting in it. Taunting the crowd to see who would take him on next. No one was looking keen so Ethan sighed. Jumping up, he pulled himself over the ropes and into the ring. There was a loud cheer from the crowd but Ethan ignored them, locking eyes with Dozer.

Ethan caught a glimpse of fear in his eyes and didn't hesitate. Leaping froward he slammed a fist into Dozer's jaw so fast he barely had time to react. Dozer went spinning back across the ring, landing with a loud thud on the floor. He managed to pick himself back up after twenty seconds during which Ethan just stopped and stared at him. Dozer ran forward again, trying to charge Ethan down.

Ethan didn't hesitate, jumping high he pushed off against the post behind him and leapt over Dozer's head. Over his head Ethan twisted an arm around Dozer's neck and pulled him back. Locking his arm in an iron grip he drove him backwards, slamming his head back into the mat with a brutal crunch. Dozer was out on the floor, mumbling quietly as Ethan stood back up.

The whole room had gone quiet, in awe of what Ethan had just done. He had floored a man at least three times his size and hadn't broken a sweat doing it. Ethan stood up, eyeing up the rest of the room before jumping onto the corner post and raised his arms in a taunt.

The room erupted with cheers as people surged forward to get in the ring. Ethan spent over an hour easily knocking around most of SHIELD. After an hour there was no one left to spar with, everyone had been eliminated.

Yet even still there was a mounting feeling of excitement as everyone rubbed their injured extremities. It was getting close to the final, Romanov was set to arrive any second. A cheer erupted as she walked in and flipped herself up into the ring.

A second later, without even letting the cheering die down she kicked out at Ethan. She wasn't going easy on him though she never did when they sparred. Neither of them managed to get the upper hand in the fight. Ethan was tempted to use his powers but it wouldn't be fair as he was the only one in the room who could manipulate energy.

Five minutes later he had a bloody nose and Nat had a slip lip but they were still fighting. The crowd was going wild, they hadn't seen a proper fight like this before. Nat had managed to back him into a corner and slammed his head against a pole but Ethan responded in kind with a brutal knee to her kidneys.

The fight lasted another five minutes, the whole time both fighters getting more and more brutal with more and more power behind their blows. The fight ended just as quickly as it had started.

Ethan and Nat weeper grappling and had arms locked around each others throats before Ethan pulled and they fell out of the ring. Hitting the ground in the same moment causing the crowd to quieten. Ethan pulled himself up on the ropes and dragged Nat up. They were both beat, with their bodies aching from the fight.

Ethan held her hand up and the crowd cheered again. "Our first tie." Yelled out across the room from the megaphone Twitch had in her hand. "Well done to Triton and Black Widow."

Everyone was groaning at the same time as cheering. They had all bet on a victory on either side, no one had bet on a tie which meant that they had all lost out. Twitch had to be ecstatic because she must have made a mint.

Pulling himself out of the room he found Clint and Olie waiting. Olie he huge eyes wide with admiration. "That was amazing, you looked so brutal fighting with her."

"Thanks." Ethan said "Let's go home, I think I need to sit down for a while."

How'd I end up here? Ethan thought as the wind screamed through his hair. Everything was great. I had a girlfriend I loved, a great apartment and a happy life. Even had a younger brother who I just met but still loved like he had been there my whole life. And yet here I am.

Ethan ducked his head as a car flashed past. "Clint, slow down. You're gong to get us killed" he managed to yell.

"If we slow down how are we meant to catch them?" Clint managed to yell back.

"If we crash they'll get away anyway."

"We won't crash"

"We always crash"

"We won't crash!"

Four weeks. Four weeks was the limit Ethan had to not getting himself killed. He had been off the active roster, trying to have a break and train his team. They were working much better now, able to pass the SHIELD training courses in record times. Ollie was also progressing well. His final test for cover and concealment training was in four hours and Ethan wasn't going to die before it.

The sad thing was that he had missed the adrenaline action packed missions. He'd never had this much free time before so when Clint asked him to help track down and stop a terror cell from dropping anthrax in Jerusalem he had jumped at the chance to get back out there.

He was regretting that choice now as he hung on to Clint for dear life as they flew down a deserted road at nearly two hundred miles per hour on the back of a huge motorbike.

"We can't stop the car because it might break the vials." Ethan yelled at Clint.

"That wasnt the plan!" Clint yelled back

"THEN WHAT WAS" Ethan yelled as Clint hit the breaks. The car containing twenty vials of anthrax, enough to wipe out a city, was only ten meters in front of them. Clint pushed the nose into the ground as they braked and Ethan went flying.

Flying forward at breakneck speeds Ethan was about to hit the window of the car infront but managed to phase through it at the last second. Grabbing the driver he formed a shell of energy below his legs and they cut through the car's windshield like a knife.

Back flying through the air Ethan pulled the driver under him and pushed energy below him, forming a flat surface like a sled under neath the man. They hit the ground, the driver taking most of the impact with a cracking sound. They slid along the ground as the car screeched behind them.

He had managed to slam the handbreak on as they sailed through the car and it came to a stop fifty meters from Ethan's quickly fashioned sled. Rolling of his cushion, the board dissolved beneath them and Ethan picked the man up. He was unconscious and looked a bit worse for where so Ethan just carried him back to the car and threw him in the boot.

Locking it he slid himself into the drivers seat and signalled to Clint who had just attached the motorbike to the roof.

Ethan punched Clint's arm as he slid in next to him. "Don't ever do that again." Clint just chuckled.

Three hours later Ethan and Clint were back in HQ. They had dropped off their bomber to be and had made it back in record time. The pair of them were playing darts except the board was half the size of a normal one and they were at least twenty feet away.

"Never ask me to help you again." Ethan said as he threw a dart fast.

"If you're going to wimp at everything." Clint said with a smirk.

"You could've given me half a seconds warning." Ethan started before the door to his office was pulled open. A small lady walked in holding an envelope.

"Delivery for you Agent Jacobs." The secretary squeaked before quick stepping out the room. Ethan was getting used to the reverence most people treated him with even if it was tiring.

Looking at the envelope Ethan saw a pretentious looking seal printed on the back. Clint laughed when he saw it. "Ollie's gonna love that."

"Oh is this the-" Ethan said tearing it open and pulling out the letter inside "Yup, from the Institute of Primary and Further Education and Learning. They've accepted Ollie but want me to come down there and have a meeting with the principle. Should be fun." He threw his last dart and hit the tiny 20 points zone.

"She's a nice woman and it is the best school around. Ollie will like it and he'll be in the same class as Coop. It's just going to be a change after three weeks of physical with me and Rumlow." Clint said throwing his last dart.

Ethan checked his watch. He had made a new one after his dad had destroyed the one Clint gave him for his sixteenth. "We should get down there. The test starts in a few minutes." Ethan said grabbing his jacket and leaving the room.

Ten minutes later Ethan and Clint were standing behind a one way mirror which looked down into a huge complex of corridors. The engineers had built a mock up school for the test as it would be a good show of what Ollie should expect.

He had to start in a classroom and get out of the building without being hurt, preferably without getting into any fights. It all started when a man burst into a 'classroom' Ollie was sitting in. They had paintball guns which would leave a sting but hopefully not hurt to much.

Ethan started the clock when the man burst in and held his breath. He needn't have worried though because Ollie remembered his training perfectly. He flipped his desk up and pulled something out of his pocket.

A small red light lit up infront of Ethan, Ollie had remembered to press his panic button which was the first step he had been taught. The second was to find immediate cover which Ollie managed to do in the next few seconds by sliding across the floor and hiding behind a big cupboard.

The man with the gun advanced on Ollie and Ethan winced as Ollie twisted around the corner and punched the man hard in the crotch. He had learnt well, punching with all his strength which made the man fall back groaning.

Ollie ran out of the room, following a path he had memorised through the 'school'. He managed to sneak past three patrolling soldiers looking for him which impressed Ethan. It wasn't until the last door where Ollie had to cross a large entry hallway to get out did he find any really trouble.

Just as he made his last dash for freedom two men burst around the corner and fired at him. He ducked but it looked like he had been hit with a grazing shot but he just rolled across the floor and ran out the door.

Ethan finally let out his breath. Looking at the clock he saw it said '3 : 15' which was just a passing time and he then walked down to where Ollie was waiting.

"Did I pass?" He asked quickly sounding worried. Ethan grabbed his arm and checked, he had a small slick of paint where he had just been grazed. It wasn't enough to fail him but he wasn't happy about it.

"Why didn't you stop it with your powers." Ethan said sounding authoritative which caused caused Ollie to shrink a bit.

"I didn't want to have to use them. I can't let people know about them so I didn't want to have to use them to pass the test." He looked upset and Ethan felt his anger disappearing.

"I'm not angry Ollie, It's just that if you're attack you're best chance of surviving is to use your power. They're there to keep you safe. It's going to be hard to keep you're powers a secret. Do you think you can do it?" Ethan said sounding a bit calmer. Ollie wouldn't be given second chances, if it got out he had powers than every bad guy and a lot of the good ones will want to control him.

"I can. I can stay safe and I can keep them a secret." Ollie said looking determined.

Ethan smiled now, "Then you passed. Congratulations." Ollie grinned now, looking ecstatic he whooped and jumped in the air. "And the best thing is that you start school on Monday." He said which made Ollie's face fall.

They managed to have a peaceful weekend after that, Ollie was depressed though. School was never fun and when it started on Tuesday it sucked even more. "At least you don't have to go in Monday like I do to meet you're principle." Was all Ethan could say to console him.

It felt almost strange at home now. Life had settled down and fit into place. Ethan now lived with two other people and that was fine, normal even. He shared a bed with a woman he loved, slept across the hallway from a boy who was basically his brother. Would officially be his brother soon once the paperwork cleared, it was a much easier cover story for where Ollie had come from.

It felt good, easy to live like this even if he did risk his neck most days. Especially Monday because he was late. He had planned on spending the day with Ollie but had been called out at the last second. Flying across town in his SUV Ethan broke most of the speed limits and still was only halfway down the Mall and he had to be in his meeting five minutes ago.

Racing into the school, Ethan found the school office with a very unimpressed looking secretary watching him.

"I'm here to see Mrs Auburn, I'm really sorry I'm late. The traffic was awful." He stammered as he caught his breath.

"Name?" The secretary said barely looking up from her screen.

"Ethan Jacobs." He said quickly.

"Sign here and then it's the second door to the left." The wizened lady said passing him a clip board. Ethan felt disappointed that his name didn't even warrant a double take but he just signed and walked past. "Mr Jacobs." Ethan started at his name, "We don't allow weapons in here" the secretary said eyeing his waist.

Ethan looked down and realised he still had his gun holstered at his side and a long knife sticking out of his boot. Ethan pulled it out and put the weapons in the tray the lady was offering.

Powering back across the room Ethan found the principle's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A soft voice called from inside. Ethan stepped inside and looked at the nicely decorated office. It had a grand feeling for a principle but Ethan immediately saw the style behind it. It matched perfectly the woman who stood behind the desk.

She had short greying hair perfectly pushed up into a bun and had a strong look about her, like she immediately had authority in a room, even though she barely looked five foot. The entire look was set off by the five inch heels she wore which just barely made her level with Ethan.

Ethan walked forward and shook the outstretched had she offered him.

"I'm sorry I'm late Mrs Auburn, the traffic was bad." Ethan stammered. He felt nervous even though he was just facing off against a school principal.

"Please, it's just Sue with parents, and guardians of course. Odd for traffic to build up, the town was empty when I drove in barely half an hour ago." She said lowering herself into her chair and looking back at him expectantly.

"It was quite bad in Tokyo." Ethan said trailing off as he sat down opposite.

Sue just smiled at him and said, "Of course. Now to business. Oliver's place has been accepted at our school. Ours is a prestigious academy with high achievement in all areas. Though I'm sure you know that. What is more Unknown is the advanced security measures we have in place here. We are of course just a few miles from the Capitol and we must cater for all pupils. That of course means we have children that require all kinds of security here, be they children of government agents or children of the president."

Ethan nodded, feeling it was his time to speak "I understand. You know what I do so I needn't tell you that Ollie may be vulnerable but my brother is also part of a... Protection program that may make him a target."

Sue cut him off, saying "Yes, we have been fully briefed. The chief of security has been notified and will keep a close watch over him, please don't think that he will come to any harm."

"That is good to here. May I borrow something to write on?" Ethan said. Mrs Auburn looked confused but handed him a pad and pen. Scrawling the number of his SHIELD communicator on it he handed the pad back to her and said "Please use that number to contact me it anything happens. It's not my, official number so I can't officially give it to you so just keep it for an emergency contact."

"That all sounds fine. I think that is all Mr Jacobs, I look forward to meeting Oliver tomorrow." Mrs Auburn said standing up from the desk. Ethan shook her hand and left the office fast. Grabbing his weapons back from the office lady he almost ran out the building. He didn't know what it was but that place just gave him the creeps. It must have just been the school feeling.

Dashing back across town he picked Ollie up from Clint's house where Laura was watching him and the two of them spent the evening watching movies. Amy was away at a conference of something so it was just the two of them. At 9:30 Ethan had a laugh and told Ollie to go to bed as its a school night.

Ollie was nervous on the drive to school the next day. "It's going to be fine. You're not dumb and you know Coop. Just be yourself and people will like you." Ethan said trying to sound reassuring. If he was honest to himself he was almost as nervous as Ollie was. He really wanted everything to go smoothly today.

Pulling up outside of the entrance Ethan saw cars everywhere with mothers wave my off their little children. "Do you want me to come in with you?" Ethan said looking back at Ollie who was looking terrified.

He shook his head though and said "Nein, Ich, ugh. I'm good."

Ethan just laughed as Ollie got out, rolling down his window he shouted after him "Just remember to speak English!"

Driving away Ethan felt sad inside, he was used to spending time with Ollie and was worried about him being ok.


End file.
